


Three's a Crowd

by rekamohcs



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blow Jobs, Brooding, Canon Compliant, Complex Emotions, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, I mean lots of introspection, Infidelity, Introspection, Jealousy, Love Triangle, M/M, Making Out, Masturbation, Pining, Post-Canon, Praise Kink, Romance, Sad Sorey, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, confused Sorey, confused mikleo, posessiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-09 04:48:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15259770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rekamohcs/pseuds/rekamohcs
Summary: Sorey has been asleep for a very long time. Mikleo, while keeping Sorey in his heart and his thoughts often, has managed to move along with his life. He’s doing okay, all things considered, even though he feels like a piece of him is still missing.Then, Sorey wakes up and reenters Mikleo’s life. Things get complicated, feelings get messy, and the lines between right and wrong get blurred as emotions are uncovered and explored.





	1. Return

**Author's Note:**

> Hold on to your hats, my friends. This is going to be a wild ride of emotions. While I love the thought of Mikleo just sort of living his life waiting for Sorey to awaken at the end of the game, I think it is 100% more realistic that he would make new friends… and possibly lovers. Thus, this fic was born! Everyone likes a good love triangle, right? 
> 
> The entire fic is already complete, and I will post each new chapter after I review and make any edits needed. Thus, it shouldn't be long until the next update. Enjoy!

Mikleo smiled softly as he stepped onto the platform before him, reminiscing on how Sorey used to get so excited about finding relics like this in the ruins they explored together. His memories pulled at his heartstrings as his long hair swayed down his back.

He rested the end of his staff against the ground before reaching out to press his palm to the aqua rune before him. It reminded him of the clear blue pools he swam in as a kid when he was first learning to harness his seraphim powers.

And then, the ground gave way.

In retrospect, he probably should have known better. He let out a loud yelp as he lost hold of his staff, hearing it rattle down against the walls below him. Air and darkness surrounded him suddenly, and he braced himself for impact.

Except that impact never came. Someone grabbed hold of his arm quickly, saving him from falling into the depths of the trap. Mikleo squinted up to look at his savior, who was nothing but a dark outline against the backdrop of the sunlight streaming through the holes in the ruin’s walls.

_Sorey?_

Mikleo felt his heart stop as he examined the outline of the man above. He had a similar hairstyle, similar broad shoulders – could it be?

The man reached down to pull Mikleo up to safe ground, and all the while Mikleo’s heart felt like it was going to leap out of his chest with adrenaline and excitement. It seemed to pound to the beat of Sorey’s name – _SoreySoreySorey._

When Mikleo was finally stable, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and blew his bangs out of his eyes to look up at the man who had saved him.

He felt his heart deflate almost instantly when he realized it was not Sorey. The man before him fell back onto his bottom in a huff as he looked at Mikleo with bright green eyes that reminded him of his still absent best friend.

“Man, good thing I was around, wasn’t it?” The man’s voice was deep when he spoke, catching Mikleo a little off guard because it didn’t seem to match the body before him. The man reached up and ran pale fingers through red locks (perhaps he was a fire seraph, Mikleo noted), casting Mikleo a charming, awkward smile. “I’m Castiel.”

Mikleo finally came to his senses and leaned back on his heels, brushing the gravel from his palms. “Oh-uh-“ He stumbled, heart still pounding. “Yes, thank you. My name’s Mikleo.”

“Mikleo!” Castiel exclaimed. “ _The_ Mikleo!? Like from the tales of Shepherd Sorey?”

Mikleo felt his chest twinge with sadness. He offered Castiel a smile. “Yes, that would be me.”

Castiel beamed at Mikleo brightly. “I would love to talk to you about some of the ruins you explored during your journey-“ The man blushed lightly, looking suddenly bashful. “I’m an explorer, and you’ve explored many more ruins than I have. I can’t believe I ran into you.”

Mikleo chuckled quietly. “You didn’t just run into me – you saved me from a pretty nasty fall, I’d guess.” He smiled genuinely and tucked a loose strand of long pale hair behind his ear. “The least I can do is offer you conversation on ruins. Why don’t you come back to my home with me and I can show you a couple things?”

Castiel looked as if he may bubble over with excitement as he jumped to his feet and offered Mikleo a hand. “That sounds wonderful.” He agreed, smiling widely.

Mikleo took the stranger’s hand, feeling surprisingly grounded even though he worried the ground may give out from under him again at any second. 

 

* * *

 

 

**20 years later**

Sorey blinked against the sunlight, feeling the heat against his skin as he stared up at the arching posts signifying the entrance to Elysia. He felt butterflies in his stomach at the thought of finally, _finally_ returning home after however long he had been asleep.

When he woke up, his first thought had been _did the purification work_? And as soon as he stepped outside, he could feel the difference in the air – the malevolence was gone. He had taken a deep breath of the fresh, clean air, and then the second thought that crossed his mind was _how is Mikleo?_

That had brought him here to the entrance of Elysia. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous – Mikleo was his best friend; surely, he would be excited to see him after all this time. However, there was still a small part of him that feared that Mikleo would have forgotten about him or – he didn’t let himself dwell on the worst possibility, that Mikleo was… no longer around. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he decided that he wasn’t ever going to know by just standing around contemplating the possibilities.

He treaded lightly as he entered his old home town, green eyes wide and taking in how nothing had really changed. There were still people mulling about gardening, chatting, and enjoying the beautiful landscape of their isolated home. It warmed his heart to see.

It didn’t take long for someone to notice him, as it was unusual to simply see people waltz into Elysia. At first, the seraphs just stared in awe, but eventually, someone came to his senses and yelled, “Sorey?! Sorey!”

Sorey quickly found himself surrounded by old loved ones and new Elysians at once, hugging him and laughing and celebrating him. He found himself overjoyed by the warm welcome, but then someone called through the madness, “Someone hurry and get Mikleo!” and Sorey felt his stomach fill with excited and relieved butterflies.

Suddenly, there was a flurry of motion in the crowd, and Sorey turned to watch the other seraphs part easily. He turned, green irises landing on a tall figure clad in a white with swirling teal trim. The colors easily distinguished who the seraph was, but Sorey found himself frozen, taking in the sight of his best friend before him and _wow, his hair has gotten so long._

Mikleo made the first move, lips pulling into a wide, happy grin as he sprinted toward Sorey. Sorey returned Mikleo’s grin, opening his arms just quickly enough to catch Mikleo as he nearly tackled the brunette, arms wrapping tightly around Sorey’s neck as he pushed himself into his arms. Sorey spun on his heels without thinking, trying to keep them balanced on their feet and found himself laughing out loud with glee.

Mikleo’s hair was so long that Sorey found his fingers getting caught in it at his waist when Mikleo pulled back, smiling fondly. Sorey noted giddily that he was still taller than Mikleo, even if the difference wasn’t as extreme as it had been once.

“Hi, Mikleo.”

Mikleo reached up to brush happy tears out of his eyes, his hands still gripping Sorey tightly as if he were afraid he wasn’t real and would disappear as soon as he let go. “I’m so happy you’re back, Sorey.”

Sorey smiled and pulled his best friend in for another hug, feeling at home for the first time in a very, very long while.

 

* * *

 

 

“So how long has it been?”

Mikleo placed a cup of steaming tea in front of Sorey before sitting down at the table next to him. After there reunion, Mikleo had invited Sorey back to his house, knowing that Sorey would likely have a lot of questions. Sorey looked around curiously, reveling in the fact that Mikleo’s house hadn’t changed much since the last time he saw it. There were relics strewn artfully upon the walls, and pretty natural stones and features placed around on shelves – and many, many books organized neatly in bookshelves everywhere. The place screamed Mikleo, and it made Sorey feel at home immediately

“It’s been 800 years.”

Sorey froze as he reached to pick up the teacup and snapped his gaze to Mikleo’s. _“What?”_

Mikleo gave a tight-lipped smile. “Yeah… it took a long time to purify the malevolence that had seeped its way into the earth between Heldalf and Maotelus. But you did it! And you’ll be happy to know that the seraphim and humans are coexisting again. It’s not perfect, of course, but we’ve come such a long way.” He paused and seemed to look at Sorey with a scrutinizing stare. “Speaking of which… you appear to be a lightning seraph now.”

Sorey’s shock melted away into a warm contentedness. He wrapped his fingers around the warm mug, enjoying the feel of it against his skin. “I’m so happy to hear that. But yeah, it seems that I inherited more than just Gramps’ stubborn nature, though it’ll take a lot for me to learn how to control these powers. I’ve yet to use them at all, I think.” He responded fondly, flexing his free hand to stare at it, knowing that within him there was an energy he could tap into and harness to control his lightning abilities. He looked back at Mikleo and smiled softly. “And I’m so happy to see you. I’m sorry I was asleep for so long, but… thank you for not forgetting about me.” He felt his cheeks flush slightly as he averted his gaze again.

Mikleo seemed surprised at Sorey’s comment. “I would never, ever forget you, Sorey.” He said softly, smiling affectionately at the former Shepherd. “I traveled a lot while you were asleep and collected lots of information about different ruins around the world, so that we could explore them together when you returned.” Sorey could hear the smile in his voice and couldn’t help but return one of his own as affection bloomed in his chest. Mikleo had been thinking about him the entire time he was asleep. “Do you want to see?”

Sorey nodded eagerly, mind and fingers itching to geek out over ruins. “Of course!”

Mikleo grinned and stood up to go find some things for Sorey to examine. “Oh, and Sorey?”

“Yeah?”

“Welcome back.” He smiled warmly, ruffling Sorey’s hair affectionately.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey was examining an old map that Mikleo had dug up when the front door to Mikleo’s house suddenly opened and a stranger entered unexpectedly.

Sorey’s instinct was to jump up defensively, but he found pause when he watched the stranger unbutton his coat, turn around, and hang it on the coatrack by the door. His black and red cloak hung right next to Mikleo’s blue and white one, contrasting vibrantly. “Mikleo, I’m home!”

The man in front of Sorey was tall and lean with broad shoulders, pale skin, and messy carrot red-orange hair. Freckles dotted his cheeks and down his arms, and when the man turned back around, he found that his eyes were almost an identical green as his own.

Sorey felt himself prickling under the man’s gaze. _You’re home?_

Suddenly, the redhead broke into a smile and approached Sorey with quiet steps. “Ah, I heard the news!” He exclaimed as he held out a hand in greeting. “Welcome back, Shepherd Sorey.”

Sorey felt his world tilting as he tried to piece together what was going on, but he knew he was missing something. He numbly took the man’s offered hand and gave it a shake. “Sorey is fine. I’m not a shepherd anymore, I’m a seraph. And you are?”

The man’s handshake was firm, and his smile was kind. “I’m Castiel. Mikleo hasn’t told you, yet?”

Sorey shook his head, brows furrowed in confusion. As if on cue, Mikleo pushed back through the curtains that led to the back of his house, arms piled high with what appeared to be more maps to show Sorey. “Ah, here they are- Castiel!”

Mikleo looked surprised to see the redhead, but certainly not upset. He smiled at Castiel as he approached the table to set the other maps down in front of Sorey. “You’re back early.”

Castiel circled the table, eyes focused on Mikleo in a way that made Sorey feel protective and uneasy. “Yeah, there were some bad storms in the east, so we had to cut the trip short. Glad to be back though; I missed you.”

Castiel reached up to brush his fingers through Mikleo’s bangs. Sorey cleared his throat, suddenly feeling as if he were the stranger in the house. Mikleo’s pretty violet eyes flashed over to meet Sorey’s, a dust of pink grazing his cheeks. Castiel followed his gaze before realizing what Mikleo had yet to tell Sorey.

“Ah.” Castiel noted, stepping back from Mikleo a hair before turning back to Sorey. “I’ll be unpacking in the back to give you two a little more time to catch up.” With that, he squeezed Mikleo’s shoulder gently before disappearing behind the curtain that led to the rest of the house.

Sorey just stared at Mikleo for a moment before finding his voice. “Who’s that?”

Mikleo ran his fingers through his bangs nervously and refused to meet Sorey’s gaze. Sorey noted how defined Mikleo’s jaw had become. He looked so much more mature now. “His name is Castiel.”

Sorey resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes, he introduced himself.” The unspoken _who is he to you and why is he in your house?_ did not go unnoticed by Mikleo, whose blush deepened.

“He’s my boyfriend, Sorey.”

 

* * *

 

 

_Boyfriend._

Sorey felt his stomach drop unexpectedly and his head begin to throb with confusion. The term left an odd taste in Sorey’s mouth as he furrowed his eyebrows and tried to wade through the cold feeling of shock that washed over his body.

Sorey wasn’t really sure _what_ he was feeling at that moment, but he was certain that he wasn’t happy. “Your… boyfriend?”

Mikleo let out a heavy sigh and took a seat in the chair next to Sorey. He had yet to meet Sorey’s gaze as he fidgeted with the end of a long strand of hair. Sorey found the motion distracting but didn’t reach over to stop him. “Yeah, we’ve uh, we’ve been dating for about two years now.”

Sorey nodded slowly, but didn’t say anything. Two years wasn’t much in the grand scheme of Mikleo’s lifetime, but it was still nothing to disregard. Mikleo took this as a motion to continue. “We met about 20 years ago, I’d say. In a ruin. He saved me from falling into a trap because I was dumb enough to mess with a relic that was obviously a set up.” Mikleo finally looked up, his gaze wary and timid. “We became pretty good friends – we have a good bit in common. And then… things just sort of escalated from there, I guess.” He paused, sighing softly. “He’s a good guy. He’s really kind and considerate, and he knows how much you mean to me.”

Sorey felt some sort of satisfaction at Mikleo’s last comment, realizing that it meant that Mikleo likely had talked about Sorey often over the time Castiel had been in his life. Sorey chewed at the inside of his lip, trying to find the right words to say, but he kept finding himself lost in his feelings. It was as if someone was pulling at his heart, making his chest tighten and his breathing painful, and he felt his throat constricting thickly, making it harder to swallow. It almost felt as if he wanted to cry, and he couldn’t particularly identify why. On top of the inexplicable sadness, he felt a piercing anger cut through his stomach, leaving him confused and feeling exhausted.

He swallowed thickly, forcing words from between cold lips. “Well, uh,” He struggled, running his fingers through his hair distractedly. “I mean, that’s good, right? I’m glad you found someone who treats you right.” He paused, his gaze considering as he met Mikleo’s. “It’s just… different, I guess. It’s not something I expected, and so I’m not sure how I feel right now.” He figured honesty was the best policy.

Mikleo nodded in understanding. He reached out and placed his pale hands on top of one of Sorey’s that was resting on the wooden table. He smiled softly. “That’s okay. I just didn’t want you to be mad or feel… I don’t know.” He looked away briefly. “I didn’t want you to judge me for dating another man.”

Sorey furrowed his brows together and leaned forward hastily. “Mikleo, I would _never_ judge you for something like that as long as you’re happy.” He insisted, voice rough. “I just meant it was different in that… you never really dated _anyone_ before _._ ”

Mikleo’s blush seemed to deepen as he chewed at his bottom lip. Sorey got the feeling that Mikleo was keeping something else from him, but couldn’t place what it could be. “I know. He just helped me through a really rough time, and I appreciate him for that. He means a lot to me, but I’m so, so happy you’re back, and I’d like it if you two could try and become friends. I think you’d get along really well, actually. Castiel is a huge ruin nerd, too.”

He knew Mikleo had the best of intentions, but he was saying the very last thing Sorey wanted to hear at that moment. Putting on the best smile he could muster, he grabbed ahold of one of Mikleo’s hands and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Sure. I’m sure we can try.”

Something within Sorey told him that friendship was the farthest thing he was going to have with Castiel, but he did his best to bury that thought for Mikleo’s sake.

 

* * *

 

 

After a few days, Sorey had managed to settle himself back into his old home. Aside from Castiel hanging around Mikleo often (which still made Sorey feel inexplicably angry, upset, and confused concordantly) and Gramps’ absence, Sorey quickly became readjusted to life in Elysia. He was thrilled to be back, happy to get to experiment with his newly learned seraph powers, and overjoyed to get to spend time with Mikleo as if they were kids again.

He found himself admiring Mikleo often. He couldn’t believe how much the water seraph had changed. While Mikleo’s personality was still relatively the same as he remembered, he couldn’t ignore the matured lilt of the seraph’s voice, the wisdom in his violet eyes, and the way he held himself tall with confidence. And his hair – Sorey loved Mikleo’s long locks and thought it was a very appropriate and becoming hairstyle for who the water seraph was now.

Thinking of Mikleo made Sorey’s fingers itch to explore the crevices and stones of the ruins. He glanced out his window to check the weather: sunny and bright. With a smile, he hopped up and grabbed his bag, tossing a few items he had gathered over the last few days during his readjustment before swinging the pack over his shoulder. Perhaps Mikleo would be up for a little adventure for old time’s sake.

He quickly made his way over to Mikleo’s house after ensuring he had everything that he needed. Reaching up to knock on Mikleo’s door, Sorey paused when he realized that it was already slightly ajar. Concern laced through Sorey’s veins like ice – Mikleo never left his front door open. Cautiously, he slid to the side so that he could peer into the open crack.

He immediately regretted his decision.

The sight before him made his blood run cold and then burn like liquid fire. Mikleo was leaning against the wall, beautiful hair let down from its elastic tie, with his arms wrapped around Castiel’s neck. Castiel leaned forward to kiss Mikleo quickly before nudging his way down along Mikleo’s jaw to his neck.

Sorey watched with wide eyes. He felt his throat constrict, making it hard to swallow, and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears. Every fiber of his being yearned to rush in and yank the red-headed man away from Mikleo as something strong and ugly reared its head in the pit of his stomach. Sorey gripped the bag in his hand tightly, feeling an anger rising within him that he wasn’t sure he had ever felt before.

Mikleo’s eyes closed as he leaned his head back against the wall. Castiel’s lips were on his neck, one hand tangled in Mikleo’s light hair while the other was splayed across the other man’s back. Mikleo’s fingers were idly toying with red strands of hair at the nape of Castiel’s neck when Castiel said something in Mikleo’s ear that was too faint for Sorey to hear from his position at the doorway.

Sorey, feeling as if his shoes were filled with cement, felt his chest tighten painfully as he watched Mikleo smile softly, violet eyes open to meet Castiel’s, a faint dust of pink on his cheeks. He responded to Castiel before wrapping his arms around his neck tighter and pulling the taller man in for an embrace. Sorey felt his own cheeks flush when Mikleo affectionately nuzzled his face into the crook of Castiel’s neck.

Breathing heavy, Sorey forced his feet to move. _I have to get out of here._ His sluggish brain was catching up with his feelings. Trying very hard to keep quiet, he retraced his steps until he was far enough away from Mikleo’s house to break out into a sprint without being heard. He didn’t stop even as other Seraphim called to him in concern, wondering what he was so upset about.

_Nothing,_ He thought to himself, fighting back against hot tears that were welling behind his eyes. _I’m upset about nothing and everything all at once._ He didn’t stop running even as he passed into the entrance of the nearby ruins.


	2. Simmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey tries to deal with his emotions, but in doing so, makes things worse for himself. Mikleo finds himself between a rock and a hard place. Feelings are complicated, y'all.

A loud knock on his front door pulled Mikleo out of Castiel’s embrace. He furrowed his brows in confusion; it was rare for anyone to come knocking on his door. He moved to quickly open the door to find one of the older seraphs of the village standing before him.

“Hello, Ross.” Mikleo greeted with a smile. Ross peered at Mikleo with wise golden eyes.

“Ah, Mikleo. Sorey just went running out of the village suddenly – do you know if something has happened?”

Mikleo felt as if he had been transported back to before Sorey had become the Shepherd and he had tried to run away alone to save Alisha. Concern settled in his limbs as he shook his head. “No but thank you Ross. I will go after him and make sure everything is okay.”

Ross seemed pleased with Mikleo’s response and removed himself from the water seraph’s doorstep, but not before nodding in greeting to Castiel who had moved closer behind Mikleo to hear the interaction. Mikleo quickly ran around to gather a few things that he pressed into the pockets of his coat before sliding back next to Castiel.

“I’ll be back in a bit.” He offered in explanation, though Castiel didn’t need to know more. He was aware of how important Sorey was to Mikleo. He smiled and gave Mikleo a sweet kiss on the cheek.

“Sure, just be safe.”

 

* * *

 

Jealousy.

That’s what it was.

Sorey was overwhelmed with emotions. He was overjoyed that Mikleo hadn’t forgotten about him and was just as thrilled to see him when he returned to Elysia, but he found himself somewhat possessive over Mikleo – something he hadn’t realized until now. Mikleo was _his_ best friend, and when Castiel had entered the picture, that’s what Sorey had wanted to say. But it was clear that Mikleo still cared about Sorey and that their bond had not been severed by this new man in Mikleo’s life, so Sorey had pushed aside the possessive outburst that had swelled within him. It wasn’t fair of Sorey to feel possessive anyway – he was the one who left Mikleo alone, so it was only natural for Mikleo to seek out new companionship. It _had_ been 800 years.

 _Boyfriend_ was a new term, though.

Sorey and Mikleo had never really discussed romance much during or before the Shepherd’s journey. They never really needed to because back then, romance was the last thing on their minds, and they had each other, so it seemed a moot point. The two clearly loved each other – Mikleo was Sorey’s one and only, his right-hand-man, his wingman, his support system, his best friend. Honestly, Mikleo was everything to Sorey.

Except… his boyfriend.

Now that _that_ was even a possibility, Sorey felt as if… well, honestly, as if he was the only person appropriate to fill such a role. Sorey had cared for Mikleo since before he could walk, who else could possibly know the water seraph better? And that thought made jealousy surge through his veins. However, it also made Sorey feel incredibly guilty because who was he to be _jealous_ when he had been asleep for centuries?

Mikleo had every right to seek out a romantic partner, but that knowledge and acceptance didn’t stop Sorey’s heart from breaking.

Sorey thought he had known heartbreak when he had to handle the loss of Gramps and then say goodbye to Mikleo when he made the decision to become Maotelus’ vessel, but that was nothing compared to how he felt now.

Surprise had made the experience even more confusing. Honestly, Sorey had never considered that he may be romantically interested in Mikleo before, and the hurt and anger that he felt at seeing Mikleo and Castiel together had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, catching Sorey off guard and staggering him with emotion. But now, Sorey _knew._

He was absolutely in love with Mikleo, but Mikleo didn’t love him back. How he hadn’t realized this long before baffled him.

Sorey’s feet finally slowed, bringing him to a stop in the middle of one of the ruin’s corridors. He leaned his back against the wall, slumping over to catch his breath before sliding down the wall to sit. He dropped his bag to the floor with a thud and pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his head on top of one.

He felt as if someone had tied a rope around his heart and was slowly tightening the knot, constricting it in his chest. He rubbed his eyes against his knee to wipe away the tears that escaped. “What a mess.” He mumbled to himself. What he had hoped would be a fun day with Mikleo had turned into the complete opposite.

 _You did this to yourself for leaving him to play hero._ A sharp, sudden thought pierced through his mind. Sorey jerked his head up from his knees, honestly startled by such a self-loathing thought. This was completely unlike him. He sniffed as a new wave of tears appeared, brought on by the sudden onslaught of self-pity.

_What is wrong with me? What is this?_

“Sorey?”

The sound of his name jerked him out of his reverie. Hastily rubbing at his eyes with his sleeve, he tried desperately to shove his feelings into a box to deal with later. He blinked a few times before looking toward the direction his name had come from.

The sight of Mikleo walking toward him made him panic.

Sorey scrambled up, nearly tripping over his bag in the process. He grabbed the bag from the floor, stumbling backward over his feet slightly and catching himself on the wall. “Uh – Mik – What – “ He tried to form words, but his brain was short-circuiting, too overwhelmed with emotions to be helpful.

“Are you okay?” Mikleo stopped in front of him, panting slightly. His cheeks were lightly flushed, and his bangs were sticking to his forehead from sweat as if he had been running. He blinked wide, concerned eyes at Sorey, his fingers coming up to brush his bangs away from his face. “One of the villagers came knocking on my door asking if I knew what was wrong with you because they saw you sprinting out of the village?”

The question hung between them, stretching and weaving itself into the cracks of Sorey’s exterior, trying to pry him open and make him break. Mikleo took a step closer, eyes scrunching together slightly as he noticed that Sorey’s usual bright green eyes were puffy and red, cheeks splotchy. “Sorey? Were you crying?” He asked softly, confusion and worry lacing his words.

Sorey shook his head frantically, but he felt the tears threatening to return. “No – I – Just – “ He stumbled over his words, but couldn’t keep his composure. The tears pushed passed his barrier and spilled down his cheeks. He dropped his bag to the floor abruptly, his hands coming up to cover his face as his body shook with sobs.

Mikleo’s blood ran cold at the sight before him. He didn’t hesitate as he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Sorey, reaching up to smooth down his hair comfortingly. “It’s okay, just let it out.” He murmured, resting his cheek against Sorey’s. “I’ve got you.”

Sorey shook in his arms until he felt completely mentally and physically exhausted from emotion. When his tears had withered down to short sniffles, he slowly raised his head out of his hands, wiping at his face. Mikleo didn’t let him go and, even when Sorey lifted his head, continued to run his fingers over Sorey’s hair.

All Sorey could do was stare at Mikleo when his vision was no longer blurred by tears. Mikleo looked troubled, eyebrows furrowed in concern, teeth worrying his lower lip. Mikleo’s gaze was questioning, but Sorey didn’t know what to say. _Hi, sorry, I saw you loving up on your boyfriend and I got upset because I’ve realized that I’m desperately in love with you and I think you should break up with him and date me instead_. That didn’t seem like it would go over well.

Instead, Sorey gave a watery smile. “Thanks, Mikleo.” His voice was soft and sort of scratchy from crying. Mikleo returned his smile and cocked his head, question still lingering unspoken. Sorey looked away, unable to keep his gaze as he continued. “I… I don’t really want to talk about it, okay? But I promise I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”

Mikleo looked unsatisfied with Sorey’s answer but decided not to push. “Okay.” He responded softly. “Why don’t we go home? I’ll whip up some ice cream and we can look over some old maps I found a while back. I think you’ll like them.”

Sorey tried not to get caught up in how Mikleo said ‘home’ as if it was _their_ home. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Sure.”

“And Sorey?”

Sorey finally met Mikleo’s gaze again. Mikleo smiled softly, bringing his hands up to rest on Sorey’s shoulders, giving them a light squeeze. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I’m your best friend. I don’t want you to struggle alone.” He assured before dropping his hands. He raised his arm up with his fingers fisted, inviting Sorey into their old handshake.

Sorey felt both adoration and overwhelming sadness lurch inside of him. He raised his arm, knocking his fist against Mikleo’s. “Yeah,” He murmured quietly, not trusting his voice. “I know.”

When Sorey went to drop his hand, Mikleo caught it and intertwined their fingers, squeezing gently in reassurance. Sorey’s feelings swirled within him in confusion, but he didn’t untangle their fingers. Instead, he let Mikleo guide him back into the sunlight, babbling on about old maps and ruins to keep Sorey’s mind occupied.

 

* * *

 

Sorey was trying. He was really, really, _really_ trying.

Mikleo had asked Sorey if he wanted to go gather herbs with him and Castiel. The sound of Castiel’s name put a bad taste in Sorey’s mouth, but he had nodded and smiled, agreeing for Mikleo’s sake. However, he couldn’t get the image of Castiel kissing Mikleo out of his head.

And so, while he was trying to interact with Castiel and put on a happy face for Mikleo, he was really just brooding.

Castiel was walking a bit ahead of them, which pleased Sorey more than it should have. Mikleo was rummaging through his pack, taking inventory of the herbs they had gathered thus far. Suddenly, Castiel broke the silence that had fallen between the three of them.

“Hey Mik, what did you say was your favorite dinner meal again?”

There were multiple things that flitted through Sorey’s mind at Castiel’s question. The first was, _it’s chickpea curry with mabo buns, idiot._ The second was, _how do you not know that?_ The third and final thing was, _‘Mik’?_

Mikleo was about to answer when Sorey piped up. “Chickpea curry with mabo buns.”

Mikleo shot his gaze over to Sorey, who met it without question. There was a small smile on Mikleo’s face, and a light blush dusting over his cheeks that Sorey found endearing. Mikleo was the first to break the stare, looking back to Castiel, who was looking at them with a raised brow.

“Ah right…” Castiel spoke slowly, looking between the two before letting his gaze settle on Mikleo. “I forgot. We haven’t had it in a while. Want to do that for dinner?”

Mikleo smiled. “Sure, sounds good. We’ll need a couple more herbs for that, then.” Mikleo started listing what they needed to find. The entire interaction left a bad taste in Sorey’s mouth and a feeling of frustration in his limbs. He couldn’t stop himself from glaring at Castiel's back and decided that he needed to separate himself from the two before he did or said something that he would regret. He swallowed his feelings back down and touched Mikleo’s shoulder lightly.

“I’m going to go check over there.” He pointed in some random direction and didn’t wait for a response before he walked away. He kept walking until he found an open area of soft grass.

Sorey plopped down onto the grass, taking in the vibrant greens around him before he leaned back to gaze at the clouds above. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself. It was completely unreasonable for him to feel this much animosity toward a man he hardly knew, wasn’t it? He closed his eyes and began counting to ten, a trick he had learned during his journey as the Shepherd to ground and center himself when times became stressful.

The grass beside him rustled softly as someone sat down next to him. He opened his eyes, blinking against the sudden brightness of the sun, and squinted over to take in the sight of Mikleo before him. The wind caught Mikleo’s ponytail, causing some strands of hair to graze Sorey’s cheek, tickling it softly. Mikleo looked a little lost in thought as he stared across the field.

The two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Mikleo finally spoke. “Sorey, is everything okay?”

Sorey knew that he was referring to both his outburst in the ruins the other day and his grumpy demeanor throughout their trip today. He returned his gaze to the sky to watch the clouds. “Yeah,” He lied, feeling something in his heart tug at keeping the truth from Mikleo. “I guess I’m just still readjusting.” Well, that wasn’t a complete lie.

Mikleo laid down next to Sorey to look at the blue vastness above them as well. “You mean readjusting to Castiel and me, right?”

Sorey felt his heart nearly jump into his throat. He should have known Mikleo would be able to parse out the details himself – he was his best friend after all, and he had always been good at reading Sorey. Sorey was about to defend himself when Mikleo continued. “It’s okay if you think it’s weird, Sorey. It _is_ new, and you did miss the start of it. I’d probably be a little disoriented if I found out you were dating someone suddenly if I didn’t expect it, too.”

Sorey swallowed hard. He wasn’t really sure how to respond. “He’s just… not the type of person I ever imagined you dating.”

Mikleo turned his head to look at Sorey, eyebrow raised in question. Sorey pointedly didn’t return his gaze. “And what type of person would that be? You?” The lilt in his voice was teasing, which eased some of the tension in Sorey’s body, but his comment also made Sorey’s heart pound quickly in his ears

 _Yes._ Sorey’s brain supplied and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his own thoughts. He released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and finally turned his head to look at Mikleo.

The water seraph was closer than Sorey had initially realized as he found himself almost nose to nose with his best friend. His eyes widened and Mikleo’s cheeks dusted with a rosy pink at the proximity. The two sat frozen, staring at one another for a moment before Mikleo averted his gaze and turned his face back to the sky. Sorey continued to observe his friend, noting the pretty blush that crept down Mikleo’s neck and under the collar of his coat and the way Mikleo’s pale fingers reached up to twirl a strand of long hair anxiously.

Sorey refrained from reaching over and sliding his own fingers through Mikleo’s hair and instead ran them through his own brunette locks haphazardly. Instead of answering Mikleo’s previous question, he reached out and took one of Mikleo’s hands in his own, twining their fingers together and squeezing softly. “I just hope you’re happy with him.” He stated truthfully, even as his heart felt heavy with the words.

Mikleo gave Sorey’s fingers a gentle squeeze in return but didn’t respond otherwise.

 

* * *

 

Later that night, Sorey was tidying up his sitting room when he heard a soft knock at his door. Stretching his arms over his head, he yawned, mind thoroughly exhausted, and padded his way to the door softly to open it. Mikleo stood on the other side of the door, long pale hair let down from its ponytail and while pajamas hanging from his body. He held a bottle of something dark in one hand and a pouch of jerky in the other.

Mikleo smiled brightly, violet eyes shining as he greeted Sorey. “Mind if I come in? I just wanted to spend some time with you.”

 _Without Castiel_ hung at the end of his sentence unspoken. Sorey’s heart pounded in his chest as he smiled, genuinely happy. He opened the door wide to let the smaller seraph inside. “Of course. You know you’re always welcome here, Meebo.”

Mikleo slid passed Sorey, rolling his eyes and glaring daggers at his friend. “Okay, _Edna_.” He grumbled as he set his items on the kitchen counter.

Sorey laughed as he followed him and reached out to gently toss Mikleo’s hair teasingly. It was soft under his fingers and made him feel a little giddy. “You know she loves you, Mikleo. That’s why she teased you so much. I think ‘Touchy-feely Touchleo’ was my favorite variation she came up with.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes again. “Sorey, it has been _years_ since I have been subjected to this torture from her. I thought I was safe with you!”

Sorey chuckled softly, bumping his shoulder against Mikleo’s and feeling, for the first time in a long time, as if nothing had changed between them. “Of course you’re safe with me.” He paused, eyeing the dark liquid in the bottle Mikleo had brought cautiously. “What’s this?”

Mikleo shot Sorey a grin that could only be described as devious. It made Sorey’s heart flutter. “This, my dear Sorey,” Another heart flutter. “Is what humans call whiskey.”

 

* * *

 

Sorey felt as if his body was on fire and his limbs were looser than normal. He was certain that whatever Mikleo was calling whiskey was actually just bottled magic, and he wasn’t quite sure how much he had had to drink of it. He laughed at something Mikleo said, admiring how the water seraph’s eyes danced in the light from his fireplace. _He’s so pretty._

Mikleo smiled brilliantly at Sorey, hair falling over both of his shoulders and framing his face in a cloud of white that made the alcoholic flush of his skin more vibrant. Without thinking, Sorey reached forward and ran his fingers through Mikleo’s hair.

Mikleo paused momentarily, seeming a little surprised by Sorey’s actions, but then he leaned into Sorey’s touch and closed his eyes. Sorey felt butterflies in his belly and took the opportunity to push himself just a touch closer to Mikleo so that he could reach his other hand into his hair as well.

Mikleo let out a content sigh before opening his eyes back up. With a dazed smile, he turned abruptly, forcing Sorey to release his hair. The next thing Sorey knew, Mikleo’s head was laying in his lap, long, brilliant hair splayed out behind him. Mikleo blinked up at Sorey expectantly, but the lightning seraph was too distracted by how pretty Mikleo looked to move. He voiced his thoughts without filtering them first. “So pretty.”

Mikleo chuckled softly, feeling a blush crawl up his cheeks. He turned his face and pressed into Sorey’s stomach gently. He reached over to grab one of Sorey’s hands and pressed it to his scalp, hoping it would convince Sorey to play with his hair again. Just in case Sorey didn’t get the hint, he smiled up at the boy and said, “I love having my hair played with.”

Sorey was taken aback by Mikleo’s forwardness, but certainly didn’t need to be told twice. His fingers had been itching to get into his hair since the moment he saw him again after he returned to Elysia. Biting his bottom lip, Sorey slid his fingers into soft locks, his nails softly scratching at Mikleo’s scalp. Mikleo let out a satisfied noise that stirred something wild within Sorey and closed his eyes again.

Sorey just stared down at the seraph in his lap, feeling both incredibly at peace but also coiled tightly with anticipation in this intimate moment. All thoughts of Castiel were packed away, and all he could focus on was the feel of Mikleo’s hair beneath his fingertips and how it would feel if he kissed Mikleo.

The moment went uninterrupted for several minutes as both boys simply enjoyed being in each other’s presence. The fire crackled in the background and the world outside was silent, minus the gentle brush of the bushes outside as the breeze tousled their leaves.

Eventually, Mikleo reopened his eyes to look up at Sorey, who was now staring into the fire. “Sorey?” The sound of his name brought the boy’s attention downward. “I missed you so much.”

Sorey felt his heart constrict at Mikleo’s words. He was going to respond, but Mikleo continued. “Like… I don’t think you understand how much I missed you. I wish we could stay like this forever.” His words were full of emotion as he reached up to grab Sorey’s free hand to intertwine it with his. “I’m so happy right now.”

Sorey felt a wave of emotions – sadness, guilt, affection, adoration – all at once. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat and moved to rest the hand that had been running through Mikleo’s hair on the boy’s cheek. “I wish we could stay like this forever, too.” He murmured back, thumb brushing across Mikleo’s cheekbone. Mikleo’s blush persisted, and instead of pulling away like Sorey expected, Mikleo nuzzled his face into Sorey’s palm and kissed it softly.

Sorey’s heart pounded as his blood rushed hotly through his veins. Confusion settled in his stomach as he felt the sudden desire to wrap both arms around Mikleo and pull him into a close embrace. Swallowing thickly, he felt his fingers shake as he exhaled, deciding that, at the very worst, he could blame the whiskey.

He licked dry lips as he slowly, cautiously reached down to slide one arm under Mikleo. The movement forced Mikleo from his resting position into a seat, where Sorey took haste to wrap his arms around the other boy before he lost his courage. He expected Mikleo to stiffen and shy away from the motion. Instead, Mikleo laughed softly and wrapped his arms around Sorey’s neck. The position allowed Sorey to nuzzle his face into the crook of Mikleo’s neck, and made him desperately want to place a soft kiss to the skin he found there, but he refrained. He breathed his best friend in, fingers sliding back up into his hair. Mikleo let out a soft noise and relaxed further into Sorey’s arms as the lightning seraph gently carved small circles into Mikleo’s scalp with his fingertips. Sorey's heart pounded in his chest, emotions swirling within him.

The two stayed like that for a while until Mikleo’s breathing evened out and his body felt completely lax in Sorey’s arms. He pulled away carefully to look at Mikleo – his eyes were closed, expression peaceful. He had fallen asleep. Sorey made sure to take a mental note of how much Mikleo enjoyed having his hair played with before he decided he should probably get some sleep himself.

As gently as he could, Sorey slowly lowered Mikleo so that he was laying flat on the ground in front of the fireplace. He stood up quietly to grab a couple pillows and a blanket and tucked a pillow under Mikleo’s head before laying down next to him and throwing the blanket over them both. He sighed contentedly, watching Mikleo sleep until he felt the tendrils of his dreams beckoning him as well, knowing that when he woke up in the morning, the secrecy and tenderness of the moment would be left behind, and he’d have to face reality once again.

 

* * *

 

Twelve days. Sorey had only been back for twelve days, and he really wanted to punch Castiel in the face.

The most annoying thing was that Castiel hadn’t done anything _wrong._ In fact, it was the opposite. He was cordial and kind, and he was mindful of giving Mikleo and Sorey time to be alone. He seemed to truly care about Mikleo and had his best interest in mind with every decision. Sorey couldn’t find a real reason to dislike the seraph or to justify his feelings, and that made the situation even worse for Sorey.

Castiel was _good_. He was really, truly good, and he was good for Mikleo, but that didn’t make Sorey like him any better.

Sorey stared out the window of Mikleo’s house, observing how the orange glow of sunset gently settled over the landscape. It was dinnertime, and Mikleo and Castiel were in the kitchen chatting quietly and prepping the meal. Sorey was sitting at the dining table, book pressed into his fingers but focus elsewhere.

His gaze wandered back to the two men in the kitchen. Castiel shot Mikleo a teasing smile as he stepped close to him and then reached up to swipe something across Mikleo’s cheek. Mikleo looked indignant and glared, but then Castiel wrapped his arm around Mikleo’s waist and swiped his tongue along Mikleo’s cheek, cleaning up the mess he had made. From where Sorey sat, he could see the hot blush creep up Mikleo’s neck as Castiel quickly kissed him on the lips.

Sorey felt his stomach turn but couldn’t look away. He remembered how close he and Mikleo had been the other night, how Mikleo’s cheeks had been flushed as his pretty eyes were focused on _him,_ how happy he had felt, and how soft Mikleo’s skin had been under his fingers _._ He knew it was unwarranted and unfair, but he couldn’t help the feeling of being inexplicably cheated.

Mikleo averted his gaze from Castiel’s and glanced over at Sorey, their eyes meeting. There could have been a thousand things that passed between the two with that look, but all Sorey felt was the haunting cold heat that settled in his bones and made his chest constrict with pain. Mikleo blinked and quickly looked away, carefully peeling himself from Castiel’s arms and turning away from the other man.

Mikleo felt his heart racing in his chest, unsure of what he was feeling. Embarrassment, perhaps? He was reserved with his public displays of affection, sure, but there was something else blossoming from the bottom of his stomach. It felt like butterflies, except with a hint of dreadful anxiety. He almost felt as if he were betraying someone, but he couldn’t completely identify where the feeling was stemming from.

He chewed on his lip and grabbed the bowl of peeled potatoes on the counter. He made his way over to the table where Sorey sat, still seemingly watching his every move. Sorey’s piercing stare made the feeling in his stomach deepen and the flush on his features intensify. He placed the bowl on the table and sat down.

“Would you like to help me cut these?” He asked, voice quiet and unusually timid. Sorey picked up on the change in demeanor and tilted his head curiously.

Mikleo’s thoughts raced. He suddenly felt as if… as if he had had a fight with Sorey, and was now trying to reach out, make amends, and apologize. He felt as if he were confronting Sorey about something he had done wrong – and maybe he _had_ done something wrong; Sorey had been acting strange lately. He slowly raised his violet eyes to meet Sorey’s bright green ones.

Sorey gave a small smile as he tried to ignore the pulsing rush of his heart. “Sure, just let me wash my hands first.”

While it felt as if a weight had been lifted off Mikleo’s shoulders at Sorey’s words, to Sorey, it felt as if that weight had been added to his own, and the tight feeling in his chest only got worse.

 

* * *

 

A couple days later, Sorey found himself sitting cross-legged on his floor, looking at a couple relics Mikleo had brought over to show him. As much as Sorey wanted to delight in the treasures before him, he was having a hard time doing so. The last few days had been mentally exhausting on him. Being around Mikleo and Castiel was becoming harder and harder, and the guilt he felt from his jealousy and anger was only intensifying. The more he watched the two interact, the more he thought that the two were incompatible, regardless of Castiel’s kindness.

Mikleo was saying something excitedly, hands waving as he told the story of how he discovered the relics. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear and then reached out to touch delicate fingers along the designs of one of the items. “Castiel actually found this one.”

The fondness with which Mikleo spoke made Sorey’s skin crawl. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Cool.” He said flatly, feeling his frustration beginning to bubble over.

Sorey’s hard tone immediately caught Mikleo’s attention. He snapped his soft gaze up to meet Sorey’s hard one, brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

It was as if Mikleo was fine-tuned to pick up in the shifts in Sorey’s demeanor. Sorey knew that he should back down and let his feelings calm, but he was tired of suppressing his emotions. However, instead of telling Mikleo how he felt (that was too scary), he just said, “Nothing.” and looked away to glare at the relics before him like a pouting child.

Mikleo threw his hands up in the air, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Sorey, I don’t understand. What is going on with you?” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and pinning Sorey with a demanding stare. “You’ve been moody and grumpy and honestly, it’s driving me nuts! It’s not like you at all.”

Sorey rolled his eyes and reached up to play with the feather earring attached to his ear – a nervous habit. “Oh, sorry that my feelings are an inconvenience to you.” He muttered, quickly looking away from Mikleo as he felt his face flush with anger.

“Wha – “ Mikleo sputtered, arms dropping to his sides, frustration giving way to disbelief. “Sorey, how could you ever think that your feelings are an _inconvenience?_ ” He asked, feeling every bit as if he had been punched in the stomach. Hurt laced his pretty features, making Sorey immediately regret his choice of words. Mikleo stared at him in shock. “I’ve been constantly trying to find out what’s _wrong_ so I can help you fix it!”

Sorey’s flush deepened, embarrassment flooding through him. He felt tears rising to the surface and internally cursed in frustration that he couldn’t get a grip on his feelings. He tore his gaze away from Mikleo and let it fall to the floor.

Silence stretched between them, both men refusing to relent. Sorey’s hand fell to his lap, his fingers intertwining and fidgeting nervously. After a few moments, Mikleo sighed, clearly exasperated. “Whatever, Sorey. Let me know when you want to talk.” He muttered.

The sound of footsteps pulled Sorey’s gaze back up only to be met with the sight of Mikleo’s retreating form. Panic flooded through him, filling him with anxiety. _No, no, don’t leave when we’re in the middle of an argument._ His throat tightened as he rushed up and forward, lunging at Mikleo suddenly and wrapping his arms around his best friend from behind.

Mikleo stumbled forward, catching himself on one of the wooden columns of Sorey’s house to keep from falling to the floor with the force of Sorey’s collision. “Sorey?!” He exclaimed, head whipping around to peer over his shoulder at the boy in question.

Sorey buried his face in Mikleo’s back, breathing him in as his heart pounded. _Stay._ He wanted to say it, beg it, get down on all fours if he needed to. _Don’t go._

Instead, he mustered every ounce of courage and mumbled, “I feel replaced.”

Mikleo’s eyes went wide, his hands coming up to rest on Sorey’s at his waist. “ _Replaced?”_ He croaked. “What?”

“Castiel.” Sorey muttered, nuzzling his face against the back of Mikleo’s neck. Mikleo felt his heart lurch and his stomach drop.

Swallowing, Mikleo slowly turned around and grabbed Sorey’s hands. “ _Sorey,_ ” The desperation in his voice forced Sorey’s eyes to snap up to meet wide violet irises. “Sorey, there’s no one who could _ever_ replace you. You know that!” He insisted. Mikleo felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest as guilt clawed its way through his skin. _Did I do this to Sorey?_

“I just… I was gone for such a long time, a lot could change.” Sorey started, staring into wild, frantic violet eyes. “Do you love him?” He whispered.

The question caught Mikleo off guard, catching his breath in his throat. Mikleo looked away, feeling his face warm up at the thought. “Uh, I mean – I care about Castiel a lot. I… I don’t know if I love him, if I’m being honest, but he’s kind and caring and… well, you know.” He bit his lower lip, thoughts swirling. His eyes frantically jumped back to meet Sorey’s after a pause. “But he’s _not_ my best friend, and he never will be, Sorey.”

Sorey felt a sharp sadness pull at his insides. He squeezed Mikleo’s hands, which were still clinging to him. Leaning in toward Mikleo slightly, he held the other boy’s gaze sharply. “Then why are you dating him? Shouldn’t your best friend and you boyfriend be one in the same?”

Mikleo seemed to hold his breath, frozen in his spot. Both boys seemed to be waiting for something to propel them forward with the conversation, something heavily implied by Sorey’s question hanging in the air. A hot blush rose over Mikleo’s neck and up to the tip of his ears as he struggled to find the appropriate response to Sorey’s question.

“I – “ A stumble. “I mean, well, yes.” Mikleo finally broke eye contact, confusion and embarrassment drawing over his pretty features. “Ideally, my best friend would be my boyfriend.”

The implication in Mikleo’s words made Sorey’s stomach flutter. He searched for Mikleo’s eyes again, desperately needing to see them. He took a step closer, hands dropping from Mikleo’s to reach up and touch the side of the pale boy’s face, forcing his gaze back. They were only six inches apart now, and when Mikleo returned his gaze to meet Sorey’s, there was a skittish, uncertain look in them. Sorey brushed his thumb over Mikleo’s jaw in a calming manner, glancing down at Mikleo’s lips quickly. The quick movement of Sorey’s eyes didn’t go unnoticed by the water seraph, who felt his heart flutter. His hands were shaking from nervousness as he reached up to place one on top of the hand Sorey had on his cheek.

“Sorey, I – “

“Mikleo? Are you in there?”

Castiel’s voice through Sorey’s open window pulled the two out of their bubble, causing them to quickly step apart, blushing madly. They stared at each other for a moment with wide eyes, thoughts frantic. Sorey glanced at the window, aggravation at Castiel’s interruption blossoming across his features.

Mikleo finally found his composure and cleared his throat, reaching up to run his fingers through his bangs in a way that Sorey recognized as a nervous habit. Giving Sorey a weak and apologetic smile, Mikleo tried to quell his pounding heart. “Yes, Castiel, I’m here.” He finally called back, moving to open the door.

Castiel’s green eyes met Mikleo’s as the door opened, taking in the sight of a clearly disgruntled seraph. He cleared his throat and glanced back at Sorey, who was glaring openly at Castiel from the same spot Mikleo had left him. “Uh, sorry, Nate wanted me to - did I interrupt something?”

Mikleo’s face flushed as a whirlwind of emotions flooded through him – confusion, embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, all mingling with the light-headed blush of romantic feelings welling from deep within him. “No!” He exclaimed quickly, brushing his bangs again. “We were just… chatting.”

Castiel didn’t seem to notice Mikleo’s awkward disgruntled demeanor, but Sorey did. “Yeah, we were discussing taking a trip down to Ladylake – I kind of want to see how it’s changed since I’ve been gone.” Sorey picked up smoothly, wondering when he had become so adept at fibbing. “We might go down this weekend.”

Mikleo’s panicked frenzy seemed to calm down slightly at Sorey’s save. He gave Sorey a soft, appreciative smile before joining the conversation. “Yes, that would be nice. I haven’t been to Ladylake in a little while, either.”

Castiel raised a brow and shrugged. “That sounds fun. We don’t have any plans this weekend, so we could definitely go.”

Something about how it seemed as if Castiel was giving Mikleo permission rubbed Sorey the wrong way. His eyes narrowed as he took a couple strides forward, shoulders squaring as he met Castiel’s gaze, green on green. “We were thinking of taking the trip alone. You know, for old time’s sake.” He stated, words coming out sharper than he had intended. “If that’s okay with _you_ , of course.” He tacked on to the end.

Castiel stared at Sorey for a moment, identifying the slight animosity rolling off the former Shepherd. Mikleo’s eyes were wide, passing between both men. The tension between the three suddenly skyrocketed and Mikleo was worried that Castiel was going to respond poorly to Sorey’s sudden change in demeanor.

Finally, Castiel seemed to settle on a response. An easy smile fell on his lips as he reached over and grabbed Mikleo’s hand, gently raising it up to press his lips against the back of his palm. Mikleo flushed, eyes darting over to Sorey briefly, who’s eyes looked like wildfire. “Of course,” Castiel murmured, looking up at Mikleo. “If that’s what you want, love.”

Mikleo stared wide-eyed at Castiel before nodding quickly, feeling Sorey’s hot gaze on him as well. Incredibly overwhelmed, Mikleo cleared his throat and stuttered out a reply. “Yes, I – Yeah, that would be, uh, nice.” He swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled his hand away from Castiel gently, suddenly feeling as if he were betraying both men at the same time.

Sorey reached up to rest a hand on Mikleo’s shoulder, a genuine smile gracing his lips as he ignored Castiel’s pointed stare. “Great! Let’s make a plan, then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh, Sorey's getting frisky.


	3. Boil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey and Mikleo take their trip to Ladylake. Feelings get more mixed up in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves!  
> Sorry for keeping you waiting - I wasn't happy with a couple scenes and ended up completely rewriting them. I'm actually out of the country for a conference right now, but I couldn't get the thoughts out of my head, so I went ahead and edited even while I'm away. The next update shouldn't take as long ^.^
> 
> Enjoy!

As promised, that weekend, Sorey and Mikleo took their trip to Ladylake sans Castiel.

Though the duo had traveled across the land searching far and wide for Heldalf back in the day, and Mikleo had traveled many miles on his own while Sorey slept, the hike from Elysia to Ladylake had left both seraphim surprisingly exhausted.

Perhaps it wasn’t the traveling that had left them so drained, but instead the emotional tension between the two. Castiel had said goodbye to them early that morning with a tight hug and sweet kiss to Mikleo that had made Sorey want to roll his eyes and kick at the ground.

“Travel safe, love.” Castiel had said, and Sorey really _had_ rolled his eyes at that one, even though he hid it from Castiel and Mikleo. Mikleo had blushed, trying not to make eye contact with _either_ men, and then the travelers had set off.

Now, Sorey and Mikleo found themselves in a room at the Shaorun Inn, feeling nostalgic and tired.

Sorey blatantly stared as Mikleo let his hair down and ran his fingers through it before setting his elastic tie on the nightstand next to the bed. “This really is just like old times.” Mikleo smiled, tilting his head and letting his hair fall to the side. “Even down to sharing a bed.”

Sorey smiled back, secretly ecstatic about getting to share a bed with Mikleo again. He placed his bag on the desk under the window before turning and slowly walking over to Mikleo. “I guess so. I didn’t even think that through.” He murmured. Mikleo looked up at him, watching carefully as Sorey reached up and ran his fingers through Mikleo’s hair. It was still just as soft as he remembered it being.

“You have beautiful hair, Mikleo.” Sorey said, noting the blush that dusted itself across Mikleo’s cheeks in response.

“Thank you.” Mikleo said softly, swallowing the nerves that had jumped into his throat. He reached up to twirl a strand around his finger. “I told myself that I wouldn’t cut it until you came back.” He admitted.

Sorey paused, affection blossoming through his chest, overtaking the small ounce of guilt that flooded through him as well. “Do you want to cut it now?” He questioned.

Mikleo shook his head. “I don’t think so. I like it long. But…” He paused, as if considering if he should continue his statement or not. “Castiel thinks that I should cut it.”

Sorey scowled, fingers brushing through the long locks once again. He exhaled, forcing himself to let go of the annoyance that arose from hearing Castiel’s opinion. “Well, _I_ think that you should do what _you_ want.”

Mikleo smiled and dropped his hand to his lap. “Yes, I think that as well. Which is why I haven’t cut it.”

Sorey was glad to hear that Mikleo was still as stubborn as ever. “Want to take a nap?” He suggested, wanting to change the subject and finally dropping his hand from Mikleo’s hair. He motioned to the queen-sized bed that Mikleo was sitting on. “I’m beat.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes. “You were asleep for 800 years and here you are, still as sleepy as baby.”

Sorey grinned and wiggled his fingers at Mikleo, eyes predatory. “Don’t make me come down there and tickle you, Mikleo!”

Mikleo’s eyes went wide as he squeaked, scrambling back across the bed in a huff. “Don’t you dare!”

Sorey laughed, heart swelling with joy. He had missed this and was happy that they were able to fall back into their old banter as if time had not separated them at all. He jumped onto the bed and grabbed one of the pillows. “You better lay down before I change my mind!” He teased, motioning for Mikleo to lay down next to him.

Mikleo huffed, cheeks flushed. “Idiot.” He muttered in faux annoyance but laid down nonetheless.

 

* * *

 

 

Both Sorey and Mikleo were wide awake. Mikleo was laying on his side facing away from Sorey, beautiful, long hair splayed across the sheets behind him. Sorey was staring at the back of Mikleo’s head, trying _very_ hard to resist reaching over and curling an arm over Mikleo’s waist.

When they were younger, the two would always curl up against each other in bed innocently, simply finding comfort in each other’s presence and warmth. Sorey’s fingers itched for the familiarity of the curve of Mikleo’s waist and the soft tickle of Mikleo’s hair at his nose.

While Sorey struggled with his own inner desires, Mikleo battled in a rough war against his own feelings. _Is cuddling considered cheating?_ He mused inwardly, fingers playing idly with the end of a strand of hair by his face. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed the lump in his throat. _Of course it is! Mikleo, pull yourself together._ _You shouldn’t even be thinking about this._

But it was hard. It was excruciatingly hard, especially after the confrontation he and Sorey had had a few days ago, and the intimate night they had spent together days before that. Mikleo was torn between his faithfulness to Castiel and his returning feelings for Sorey.

Mikleo felt guilty either way. When he had first met Castiel, he had simply been seeking companionship. He had gone through 780 years of relative loneliness, aside from the occasional get-together with Edna or Laila or Zaveid, feeling guilt whenever he started getting close to someone because he didn’t want to replace the memories of Sorey with new memories. However, after a while, it had eaten at Mikleo, especially because he didn’t know _when_ Sorey would be back – if ever. Castiel had helped pull Mikleo out of a fog that he had created around himself in Sorey’s absence and had convinced Mikleo that it was okay to have other people in his life while still caring about Sorey. Even though he had only known Castiel for 20 years now, he had still impacted Mikleo’s life substantially.

However, when Sorey had told Mikleo that he felt replaced by Castiel the other day, it had completely shattered Mikleo’s heart into pieces – that was _exactly_ what Mikleo had feared would happen. And now that Sorey was back, all the feelings that Mikleo had buried before the Shepherd went to sleep were hurdling back at full-force, causing a hurricane of confusion for Mikleo. He cared about Castiel, he really did, but… Sorey was, well, he was Sorey. Sorey had come before everybody else. Sorey was the person that Mikleo _lived_ for. But he couldn’t just throw everything he had with Castiel to the wind because Sorey was now back. That wouldn’t be fair to Castiel.

Even as Mikleo worked through these thoughts in his head, he couldn’t keep the nagging desire to scooch back toward Sorey on the bed. _Maybe being a little closer would be okay. We’re just sharing a bed, it’s fine._

Mikleo tried to subtly move toward Sorey, but because Sorey was still hyper-focused on Mikleo laying in front of him, Sorey noticed immediately. Smiling softly, Sorey shoved his rushing thoughts to the back of his mind and moved in a little closer to Mikleo himself, making the decision to drape his arm over Mikleo’s side rashly.

Mikleo tensed when he felt Sorey’s arm over his waist, his heart fluttering in his chest. He licked dry lips, trying to convince himself that this was okay. _It’s okay. It’s fine. A little cuddling can’t hurt, right? I mean, Castiel probably figured we would share a bed, anyway._ He tried to reason to himself, knowing that he was being ridiculous. He felt Sorey’s fingers gently move against his stomach in soft, circular motions that always managed to calm Mikleo down when he was stressed, and Mikleo made the sudden decision that he was going to stop overthinking everything and deal with his remaining guilt later.

Relaxing and leaning back into Sorey’s embrace so that his back pressed against Sorey’s chest, Mikleo released a soft exhale. “I’ve missed this.” He admitted, reaching a hand up to intertwine his fingers with Sorey’s, taking comfort in the soft chuckle he received against the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry that I made you wait for so long.” Sorey responded, leaning over to nuzzle his face into Mikleo’s shoulder. He boldly lifted a leg and pushed it in between both of Mikleo’s so that they were completely intertwined. “You always were a great cuddler.”

Mikleo flushed and bit his bottom lip, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to spread across his face. _Sorey, ever the romantic._ He thought fondly. _Something Castiel is not._

Mikleo snapped his eyelids shut, trying to ignore the guilt welling in his chest. _Don’t compare them Mikleo, it will get you nowhere._

The pair remained like that for a while until Mikleo began to feel as if he were slowly drifting off to sleep. Right as he was on the edge of surrendering to his dreams, he felt Sorey’s nose nudge the side of his neck as his arm tightened around Mikleo’s waist, pulling him even closer.

“Mikleo?” Sorey’s breath tickled his ear, causing Mikleo to squirm slightly.

“Hm?”

There was a pause before Sorey continued. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

Another pause, as if Sorey was weighing the pros and cons of asking his question. “If you weren’t dating Castiel,” He stopped, noting Mikleo’s sharp inhale. “Would you let me kiss you?” He ended the question softly, pressing his nose into the crook of Mikleo’s neck and continuing to hold Mikleo close as if he were afraid he would try to escape. Which was good – because Mikleo’s instinct was to abort the conversation before things became too complicated, so if Sorey wasn’t holding him, he would have likely fled by now.

Mikleo’s heart pounded in his chest, blood rushing loudly in his ears. He felt heat rise from his neck and spread over the tips of his ears. Mikleo was caught in inner turmoil as he found himself not sure how to answer the question.

At Mikleo’s silence, Sorey exhaled, trying to mask the disappointment and hurt that welled in his chest. “It’s okay, you don’t have to answer.” He murmured, his hold on Mikleo loosening, but not letting go.

Mikleo’s chest tightened at how dejected Sorey sounded, like a kicked puppy. Squeezing Sorey’s fingers that were still intertwined with his, Mikleo shut his eyes and swallowed, mustering up every ounce of courage he had to respond. “Sorey,” He mumbled quietly, “If we’re being completely honest,” He paused, trying to force the words out despite the guilt that tried to strangle him. “I would let you kiss me now.”

Mikleo felt as if something in his chest had been released at finally expressing his feelings candidly and genuinely, but it only helped to quell his guilt a little bit. But, at the very least, his feelings were out, and if they were out, they could figure out how to deal with them appropriately.

Sorey’s breath caught in his throat at Mikleo’s confession, his blood feeling hot under his skin. His heart fluttered in elation, even though he knew that they shouldn’t be having this conversation given the situation they were in. Despite this, Sorey found himself breaking into a wide, genuine smile. He nuzzled Mikleo’s neck gently before pressing a soft kiss right below his ear. Mikleo made a soft noise that made Sorey want to kiss him again, over and over and over everywhere, but he stopped himself.

“I won’t.” Sorey answered. “Because I know we shouldn’t and you would regret it. But I’m happy to hear that.” He admitted, reeling in his desires because he knew that if he acted on them, Mikleo would never forgive him.

Mikleo was both relieved and disappointed at Sorey’s words. He was relieved because _oh good, Sorey seems to understand the complications of this situation_ , but he was disappointed because _I have never wanted someone to kiss me so badly in all 800 years of my life, how is this possible?_

It was this last thought that brought all Mikleo’s doubts to a halt. It was true – he had _never_ wanted someone to kiss him the way he wanted Sorey to kiss him. While he enjoyed Castiel’s affection, he never particularly craved it. However, in this moment, his body hummed with anticipation and desire for Sorey, making him frustrated and confused at the same time.

Perhaps… Perhaps this didn’t have to be as complicated as he was making it.

”Sorey.” Mikleo spoke, voice coming out louder than before. “I don’t know why I’m dating Castiel.” He admitted, catching Sorey off guard at the sudden admission. However, before Sorey could respond, Mikleo continued. “I just – He helped me through a tough time, and I guess I felt like I owed him, you know? And you had been gone for so long and I missed you _so much_ and I wasn’t sure if you were ever going to come back in my lifetime – so I was still waiting for you, but I needed someone else to fill the void that you had left, I guess. But I – I don’t love him.”

Mikleo’s words were rushing out of him, and he was grateful that he was facing away from Sorey as he squeaked out the remainder of his speech. “And I don’t want to hurt him, I really don’t. He does mean a lot to me. But I really… I really just want _you_.”

Hearing Mikleo’s words lit a fire in Sorey that he didn’t know how to respond to appropriately. Every fiber of his being wanted to lean over Mikleo and kiss him and run his fingers through his long, beautiful hair, but he _knew_ he shouldn’t. He knew Mikleo would regret it, and it would only make their situation messier.

“…what… what do you-“ Sorey paused, his voice quiet and careful, searching for the proper words. “What do you want from me right now?” He decided on, holding his breath as he awaited Mikleo’s response, his heart pounding in his chest and blood rushing in his ears.

Mikleo’s heart was rushing with anxiety and suspense. ‘ _Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me’_ , his heart seemed to be screaming at him. But he couldn’t find his voice to speak his desires – his guilt was keeping his words tied down in his throat. “I – I don’t know.” He responded quietly, worrying his bottom lip.

Sorey exhaled deeply, nose tickling Mikleo’s neck. “Okay.” He murmured back softly, trying to portray that it was perfectly fine if Mikleo didn’t know what he wanted exactly. Sorey was still figuring it out himself, really. “That’s okay.”

Mikleo seemed to sigh in relief, his fingers squeezing Sorey’s where they were still intertwined at his waist. “Thank you, Sorey.”

Sorey smiled into Mikleo’s shoulder in response and let silence take them into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Ladylake wasn’t _too_ much different than Sorey remembered. The buildings looked the same, beautiful engraved stone structures standing tall against the vibrant blue sky. People bustled throughout the streets, some recognizing him and stopping to chat or give thanks. Every time it happened, Sorey found himself flustered and embarrassed, while Mikleo simply observed with fond eyes.

Sorey was in the middle of thanking another Ladylake citizen for their kind words, so Mikleo turned to gaze at the waterway behind them. Without thinking, he idly began playing with the water, shaping it into rivulets in the air and spiraling it into crystalline designs. He didn’t notice when a couple people stopped to observe his artes, one including the former Shepherd himself.

When they were younger and exploring ruins on their own, Mikleo used to practice his artes whenever they found a body of water, making it dance tantalizingly or splashing it over Sorey, who would always huff and complain – _Mikleo, now my clothes are all wet!_

The memory brought a smile to Mikleo’s face as he brought more water into the air, creating an intricate design of swirls and droplets. He hugged his arms around himself, willing the water to follow his command with nothing more than his energetic body. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t hear Sorey step up behind him until the brunette was already speaking.

“Mikleo! How are you doing that?!”

The sudden interruption distracted Mikleo, causing the dancing water to quickly descend. He caught it last minute, stopping it from splashing back down into the rest of the water and drenching everyone around them, and gently allowed the water to ease itself back in with the rest of the flowing stream.

Mikleo turned to look back at Sorey who was staring at him with wide, excited green eyes. His smile was wide and he just looked so _impressed_ that Mikleo couldn’t stop the flush that rose up his neck at the boy’s gaze. Sorey rushed forward, hands sliding up Mikleo’s arms to grasp him, catching Mikleo by surprise as he unwrapped his arms from around himself and rested his hands on Sorey’s chest to stabilize the brunette. “Mikleo, that was _beautiful.”_

The entire situation brought Mikleo back to their childhood when Sorey thought _everything_ Mikleo did was amazing. Sorey secreted an exuberance over many things back then, and his current response reminded Mikleo that even though he had been asleep for 800 years, he was still _Sorey._

Mikleo’s blush deepened as his gaze flickered to the bystanders that had begun to surround them. He swallowed thickly, embarrassment and pride mixing in his stomach, and gave a small smile to Sorey. “Uh, thanks, Sorey.” He murmured, gently pushing at the other boy to try and give himself some space to _breathe._ The excited affection that Sorey was emitting was suffocating, even if Mikleo appreciated it. “But you’re causing a scene!” He mumbled, cheeks flushing darker as he averted his gaze.

Sorey looked around and finally seemed to notice the others around them, who were watching the pair with curious but fond eyes. He ruffled his hair in embarrassment, his own cheeks flushing as he returned his gaze to Mikleo. His smile didn’t falter, however. “Sorry, Mikleo. I was just so impressed!”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, but couldn’t keep the smile off of his face. “Let’s go, idiot.”

 

* * *

 

“You’re like the most talented seraph that’s ever lived! You were doing all of that without even _moving_ or anything!”

Mikleo laughed as Sorey _continued_ to gush over his earlier performance now that they were away from prying eyes. They had turned down the back alley that led to the Sanctuary. Mikleo lost his composure and fell into the wall, his head leaning back and his ponytail sliding over his shoulder. He looked like a literal dream come true to Sorey, who was chuckling at seeing Mikleo so tickled. Mikleo opened his eyes to wipe them and clutched at his abdomen, which hurt from laughing so hard. The smile he gave Sorey when he finally looked up to meet the lightning seraph’s gaze shot a strong arrow of affection to the pit of his stomach, making him a little dizzy.

“Sorey, you’re ridiculous.” Mikleo said affectionately as he ran his fingers up through his bangs to push them off his forehead. Sorey swallowed dryly when Mikleo exhaled a content sigh and leaned his head back against the wall to close his eyes, letting his face bask in the sun for a moment.

_How is he even real?_

Sorey had never felt such a strong impulse to press his entire body against someone else’s, but he certainly felt it now. His feelings for Mikleo were overflowing, leaving his fingers tingling and itching to touch the other boy. _Castiel doesn’t deserve you_ , he thought selfishly, _honestly, I probably don’t even deserve you. No one will ever be good enough for you._

He licked dry lips and stepped closer to the water seraph so that he was in his bubble of personal space. Without processing his thoughts, he reached up and wrapped his arms around Mikleo’s waist, causing the other boy to snap his eyes open and gaze at Sorey suddenly.

A blush danced its way up Mikleo’s neck to his cheeks, making Sorey’s lips itch to trace its path. “Sorey…?” Mikleo question softly, hands resting on Sorey’s biceps cautiously.

Sorey was almost in a trance as he gazed at Mikleo heatedly, his eyes tracing between his best friend’s violet orbs and pink lips. _I bet I could make him ten times happier than Castiel._ His thoughts were whirling. “I know I’ve told you before, but you’re literally the prettiest person I’ve ever seen.” He breathed out, pupils blown wide.

The blush on Mikleo’s cheeks intensified, and his grip on Sorey’s arms tightened slightly. Mikleo swallowed, trying very hard to keep hold of his senses. He let out the quietest whimper at Sorey’s words, which had unexpectedly caused his insides to twist and dance with the desires he’d been trying to control over the last few days. “Thank you.” He whispered, irises wide and locked with Sorey’s.

Sorey smiled softly and leaned forward to nudge Mikleo’s nose with his. “So pretty,” He murmured. “Pretty face, pretty hair, pretty artes, pretty lips.”

Mikleo felt as if his body were on fire. Sorey was _so close_ and his words were making Mikleo’s insides coil deliciously. Every cell in his being hummed in response to the tune that Sorey’s body was playing as he waited with bated breath for _something._ Mikleo licked his lips instinctively in response to Sorey’s words. His heart was back to its frantic beat of _kissmekissmekissme._

Sorey paused, lingering with his lips an inch away from Mikleo’s, waiting for some indication of permission. As much as he wanted _this_ , he didn’t want to force something on Mikleo that he would regret. After a few silent seconds, Mikleo let out a soft whine of impatience and slid his fingers up from Sorey’s arms to play with the soft strands of hair at the nape of Sorey’s neck.

Sorey knew Mikleo well enough to know that that was as much of permission as a verbal statement coming from Mikleo.

Without thinking about it any longer where he may convince himself otherwise, Sorey closed the distance between their lips, pressing them together in a soft kiss. Sorey hadn’t really experienced many kisses in his life – two when he was still in Elysia going through puberty where he had still been figuring out feelings and hormones, and one time with Rose that had been a complete curiosity quest that left them both feeling that they should probably never do it again. He tried not to think about how many people Mikleo may have kissed in his absence in comparison (though, if he were to ask, the answer would have been, “Not many. Only four, and that includes Castiel.” but Sorey was content not knowing for now).

It was a short kiss. Sorey pulled away, leaving only a small gap between them still, looking for confirmation that _this is okay_ from Mikleo. Mikleo’s violet irises were half-lidded when he opened his eyes to meet Sorey’s gaze and bit his lip. Sorey wanted to bite it for him.

“Mikleo?” Sorey pushed, _needing_ to know that this was okay. “Is this-“

“If you don’t kiss me again right now, I am going to drench you with water.”

Sorey learned two things in that moment: that Mikleo was good at getting what he wanted when he wanted it and Sorey really liked hearing Mikleo tell him what he wanted.

Sorey flushed and smiled slightly before doing as told and leaning in to kiss Mikleo again. Mikleo wasted no time during this attempt and slid his fingers into Sorey’s hair to keep the lightning seraph close. He tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss, and Sorey felt as if his heart might burst out of his chest. Sorey’s fingers dug into the small of Mikleo’s back instinctively and pulled the other boy closer so that they were pressed flush against one another. Mikleo’s nails scraped against Sorey’s scalp lightly as he tilted his head just a little more, and Sorey thought that he was going to lose his _mind._

After a moment, Mikleo pulled away slightly, his lips shining and red from the attention and cheeks flushed. Sorey chased after him, pulling him into another kiss. Mikleo let out a soft noise in response that burned through Sorey’s veins as he slid one of his hands up Mikleo’s back to tangle in the ends of Mikleo’s long hair. The next time Mikleo pulled away, he trailed soft kisses down Sorey’s neck, causing Sorey’s head to fall to the side, breathing harsh and skin on fire.

Mikleo moaned softly when Sorey tugged at his hair lightly and nipped at the sensitive skin of Sorey’s neck. Sorey’s toes curled in his boots and he pressed his hips into Mikleo’s instinctually and groaned, feeling as if he might float away.

The feeling of Sorey’s hips pressing into his brought Mikleo down to reality slightly and he pulled away from Sorey’s neck with heavy breaths. Sorey whimpered when he felt Mikleo put a little space between them and brought his gaze back to meet the other boy’s, hoping he wouldn’t see regret or disdain in those pretty violet eyes he adored.

Mikleo looked ravishing with tousled hair and flushed cheeks, and it made Sorey want to press against him again, but he refrained. He offered the water seraph a small smile, releasing his hair from his hands and sliding his fingers around to gently hold Mikleo’s waist. Much to Sorey’s relief, Mikleo returned his smile, though he knew guilt would settle in both of their stomachs once the rush wore off.

“Uhm,” Mikleo began, his flush deepening as he averted his gaze from Sorey’s and let his fingers drop to his shoulders. He couldn’t find the words to finish his statement.

Sorey squeezed his friend kindly where he held him. “It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it right now if you don’t want.”

Patience always had been one of Sorey’s greatest attributes. Mikleo sighed and leaned forward to press his cheek against Sorey’s gently, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling his friend in for an intimate hug. Sorey buried his face in the crook of Mikleo’s neck and pressed his lips to the skin he found there. Mikleo let out a soft sigh at the feeling. “You’d best stop that, Sorey.” He warned lightly.

Sorey grinned against Mikleo’s neck. “And what if I don’t?” He teased.

Mikleo pulled away and looked Sorey in the eye with the most deadpan expression. “I’ll drench you with water.”

A laugh spilled from Sorey’s lips that had his head tilting back into the afternoon sun. He smiled brightly at Mikleo once he was done before reaching down to intertwine his tan fingers with the boy’s pale ones. “We’ll talk about it later, then?” He inquired, stepping away to give Mikleo the space he needed, but keeping their fingers intertwined.

Mikleo nodded. “Yes, later.” He affirmed, feelings swirling in the pit of his stomach that he needed to explore. “For now, why don’t we head over to the Noble’s quarters and take a look around?”

Sorey smiled and squeezed Mikleo’s hand, doing his best to quell his emotions as they finally pulled away from the privacy of their alleyway.

 

* * *

 

 

The duo had only been in the Noble’s quarters for a few minutes, still walking hand-in-hand, when Mikleo stopped and turned to Sorey.

“There’s… something I think you should see while we’re here.” Mikleo said, looking at Sorey with gentle but cautious eyes. He let Mikleo take his hand, twining their fingers together again, and lead him down a couple paths that were only a few blocks down from Alisha’s old manor.

_Alisha._

A sharp pain struck Sorey suddenly, leaving him feeling breathless. Realization that 800 years passing meant a lot more than just Mikleo getting a boyfriend dawned on him at the very moment Mikleo stopped in front of the gate to the royal family graveyard.

Sorey swallowed the lump forming in his throat as they respectfully stepped passed the entrance. Mikleo stood just beside the gates and let Sorey approach the tombstones at his own pace.

It didn’t take Sorey long to find the one he was looking for. Sorey stood in front of the grave, a dull sadness aching through his very core. He reached out and ran his fingers gently over Alisha’s name engraved in the stone. His sadness bubbled over and spilled out in the form of hot tears on his cheeks. He didn’t regret his decision to become Maotelus’ vessel, but this was yet another thing that he had missed while he was asleep.

Mikleo quietly slid behind him and wrapped his arms around Sorey’s torso, pulling him against his chest in a comforting embrace. He nuzzled his face into Sorey’s shoulder blade and rubbed his hand up and down Sorey’s arm, letting the other man cry. Mikleo knew that, in this moment, there was absolutely nothing more he could do for Sorey.

After a few moments of Sorey mourning, he finally found his voice again. “And Rose?”

He felt Mikleo sigh softly against his back, the rise and fall of the seraph’s chest a comforting support. “She’s buried at the top of a hill overlooking Volgran Forest. She lived a long, fulfilled life as the leader of the Scattered Bones.” He answered softly. “She was 84 when she passed. Alisha was 79, but she too ended up achieving her dreams like the rest of us. She played a huge role in bringing the seraphim and humans back together.” He paused and Sorey felt him chuckle softly. “She even married a seraph, believe it or not.”

Sorey was only a little surprised by that. “Really?! That’s awesome. I’m glad she was able to develop her sight properly then. And I’m happy to hear that they both lived long lives.” He sniffled, reaching up to rub at his now red-rimmed eyes.

“Yeah, I was there for her marriage and her coronation as Queen. It was quite the event, given the Princess of Hyland was marrying someone that half the human population couldn’t even see.” Mikleo laughed lightly. “But there were tons of seraphim in attendance for the marriage. It was really a huge turning point in our joint history.”

Sorey placed one of his hands over Mikleo’s on his arm. “I can’t believe I missed such an important part of history.” He murmured quietly. Mikleo squeezed his hand.

“If it weren’t for you, it couldn’t have even happened, Sorey.” He responded, nudging Sorey with his nose. “You’ll go down in the history books, too.”

A small smile graced Sorey’s lips. “You will, too, you know. I probably wouldn’t have even made it out of Aroundight Forest if you weren’t with me.”

He felt Mikleo smile against his shoulder before the water seraph leaned up and placed a soft kiss beneath Sorey’s ear. Sorey’s breath hitched in his throat as Mikleo rested his chin upon Sorey’s shoulder and lowered his arms to circle Sorey’s waist. Absently, Sorey noted that Mikleo had to be standing on his toes to maintain the height he needed for that position, but he was too comfortable where he was to try and reconcile the height difference.

“If you ever want to visit Gramps, he’s resting down by the entrance to Mt. Mabinogio.” Mikleo said softly, breath tickling Sorey’s ear. Sorey felt another wave of sadness flood through his veins and he squeezed Mikleo’s hand tightly.

A stretch of silence followed as Sorey couldn’t find the proper words to respond before Mikleo spoke again. “Sorey,” He began, voice still at Sorey’s ear. “It is important to mourn the lost lives of people we miss, but I brought you here because I think it’s more important for us to cherish their memories and to remember how blessed we were to have these people as a part of our lives.” He paused, turning his head so that he could rest his cheek against Sorey’s shoulder more comfortably. “They impacted us in so many ways, and I just want to make sure people hear the stories of their lives and cherish them as well.”

Sorey contemplated Mikleo’s words. They brought comfort to him in a way that eased the weight on Sorey’s chest. He released a deep sigh before turning to rest his forehead against the top of Mikleo’s head at his shoulder. “Thank you, Mikleo.” He smiled. “You’re becoming more and more like Gramps every day.”

Mikleo laughed softly, and when he turned his head to meet Sorey’s gaze, Sorey could see tears in Mikleo’s eyes that he too had been staving off. “Thanks, Sorey. That’s probably the greatest compliment anyone could ever give me.”

Sorey smiled and, against his better judgement, leaned in to place a soft kiss on Mikleo’s nose. Mikleo blushed at the affection and looked away quickly to hide his embarrassment.

Sorey packaged up this memory and placed it in a precious box in his mind as he looked up to the sky, wondering where their lives were going to take them. Mikleo slowly pulled himself away from Sorey to reach into his pouch and pull out some flowering herbs he had brought along for emergencies. He stepped forward and gently placed them on top of Alisha’s grave. He pressed his hand to the top of the tombstone and closed his eyes, and Sorey wondered if Mikleo was saying some sort of prayer in her honor.

Sorey watched Mikleo, thinking of the words he had said about cherishing the people who impacted their lives. Perhaps for the first time since he had awoken, he understood, at least a little, why Mikleo may be dating Castiel after all.

 

* * *

 

 

The trek back to Elysia was filled with a warmth that wrapped itself around the two seraphim in a comforting embrace. The two gravitated toward each other, shoulders bumping and fingers brushing enough times that they just decided to hold hands for most of the journey. And when Mikleo would stop to sight out a cool plant or point along their path, he would pull Sorey toward him, violet eyes excited to teach Sorey something new, but he wouldn’t let go of Sorey’s hand.

So when the two arrived at the gates of Elysia, Sorey felt an apprehension settle in the pit of his stomach as Mikleo released his hand, and for the first time _ever_ , Sorey didn’t want to return home.

Mikleo readjusted something in his pack before looking over to Sorey as if feeling the shift in his emotions. He reached over and ran his fingers up Sorey’s arm, drawing the brunette's attention. “Sorey?”

Sorey forced a smile onto his face, trying to be completely present in this last moment alone with Mikleo. Mikleo’s fingers squeezed his arm gently. “I had such a good time this weekend.” He murmured.

Sorey’s heart felt heavy with affection even as a sadness washed over him at knowing that they would no longer just be _Sorey and Mikleo_. He briefly wondered if this is how Mikleo felt the time Alisha had entered their peaceful home of Elysia, disturbing the iconic duo and making them a trio back then. Sorey felt the sudden need to apologize to Mikleo if that were the case, but instead swallowed the feeling down and tried to keep his smile in place. “I did too, Mikleo.” He paused, reaching up to squeeze Mikleo’s fingers on his arm. “We should do it again.”

Mikleo raised a brow, a teasing lift on his lips. _Do what again? The intimacy or the trip?_ He was about to tease (even though he _knew_ he shouldn’t), but he didn’t get the chance.

“Mikleo!”

Those soft violet orbs tore themselves away from Sorey, making Sorey’s heart drop into his stomach as they landed on the redhead that was walking toward them from the gates. Castiel’s smile was bright. He waved softly, a tuft of herbs tucked in his other hand.

Mikleo smiled gently, but Sorey could see the tension in the water seraph’s eyes just the same. Castiel approached and wrapped his arms around Mikleo’s lithe build, careful not to disturb the herbs in his grip. “I wasn’t expecting you back so early – I was going to have dinner ready for when you guys returned, but I guess that’s a bust.”

Sorey felt his stomach twist at Castiel’s affectionate tone and kind gesture, and he felt frustration rise up within him because _damnit_ , he didn’t like Castiel, but he _meant_ something to Mikleo and he cared about him in a _good_ way.

Mikleo laughed softly and blushed, feeling very much caught between a rock and a hard place as he felt both Sorey’s and Castiel’s gazes on him. “That’s sweet, Castiel.” He murmured, swallowing down his feelings.

Castiel beamed before leaning in to kiss him softly. Sorey forced himself to look way. Mikleo forced himself to pretend like he didn’t wish he was kissing Sorey instead.


	4. Precipice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh...   
> All I'm going to say is that I'm sorry.  
> Also we've officially hit the first chapter where the rating is real.

One week later, Sorey found himself in Mikleo’s home sitting at his dining table for _game night_.

 “Sorey, would you like anything to drink?” Mikleo asked, ever the polite host, as he held up a bottle of what Sorey assumed was something alcoholic. His skin flushed when he remembered the last time he and Mikleo drank together and how he had ended up with his fingers in long, silky hair.

Casting a glance over at Castiel, who was rummaging in a cabinet for something, he sighed softly. “Maybe just a small glass?”

Mikleo smiled and brought him a clear glass half-full of a bright red liquid. “Red wine.” He answered Sorey’s question before he could even ask it. “You may not actually like it. It’s supposed to be good for you in moderation, though.”

Sorey nodded and sipped the offered drink. It was bitter on his tongue, but not unenjoyable. “Thank you, Mikleo.”

Mikleo sat next to him at the table and looked over to Castiel as he took a drink from his own glass. “We should try Uno!” He said, eyes sparkling as he looked back at Sorey. “It’s a game that came out while you slept. It’s very popular! It’s one of my favorite games.”

Mikleo’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Well, if it’s one of your favorite games, then of course I want to play it.” He smiled, noting how Mikleo’s cheeks reddened at his comment.

Castiel returned, a colorful, square box in his hand with the word ‘Uno’ on the front. He grinned at the two before tossing the box on the table. “Alrighty then, babe.” Sorey’s stomach turned at Castiel’s words directed at Mikleo. “Shuffle and deal ‘em.”

 

* * *

 

Five very competitive games of Uno and three and a half glasses of wine later, Mikleo was drunk.

He wasn’t very good at holding his alcohol, according to Castiel, and it was quite obvious. Mikleo’s cheeks were flushed, rosy and soft, his eyes were less focused than usual, and he was very, very handsy with _Sorey_.

Sorey flushed as Mikleo laid down a Draw 4 Wild card on the table and slid his hand onto Sorey’s thigh. Sorey’s skin burned through the fabric of his pants where Mikleo touched. “Sorry, _Sorey_.” He cooed, eyes locked on Sorey’s wide ones. The way Mikleo said his name made Sorey’s stomach coil. “Draw four.”

Sorey swallowed hard and glanced at Castiel, who didn’t seem particularly concerned with Mikleo’s behavior. Regardless, it made Sorey incredibly uncomfortable. He picked up his four cards from the draw pile and turned toward Mikleo as Castiel played his hand.

“Mikleo,” He murmured softly, placing his hand on top of Mikleo’s pale one, still on his thigh. “You shouldn’t be doing things like this.” _Especially in front of Castiel._

Mikleo giggled and finished his fourth glass of wine before leaning over to rest his head on Sorey’s shoulder. “But you’re so soft!”

Castiel laughed, drawing Sorey’s attention. “Sorry about that, Sorey.” He reached over to slide Mikleo’s empty glass away from him so that Mikleo couldn’t grab it to refill it. “Mik gets pretty flirty with people he likes when he drinks.”

Sorey just stared at Castiel, eyes wide as Mikleo struggled to hold his cards in his new position pressed to Sorey’s side.

_And this doesn’t bother you?_ He wanted to ask, but the words wouldn’t come. Luckily, it seemed that Castiel understood Sorey’s surprised expression. He smiled softly, setting his cards face-down on the table to run a hand through his red locks. “Mikleo’s had a crush on you for an awfully long time.” He stated, as if it were simply a known fact. “I kind of figured that when you returned, he’d need to get it out of his system. But it doesn’t bother me – I trust him, and I want him to be happy. You are a big part of what makes him happy. So if he wants to flirt with you while he’s drunk, whatever. And you’re a good guy, so I don’t feel threatened by you at all.” He shrugged, grinning deviously. “I’m not a jealous person anyway; plus, I know where he’ll be sleeping tonight.” He winked playfully.

Castiel’s words shot many confusing emotions across Sorey’s body. The most prominent was an unsurmountable guilt that spread across his chest when Castiel said that he trusted Mikleo and that Sorey seemed like a good guy. _Ah yes, I’m a very good guy – just ignore the fact that I’m in love with your boyfriend and I’ve made out with him in the streets of Ladylake and honestly would do it again if given the chance._

He also felt guilty because of Castiel’s entire demeanor – for the first time since meeting him, Sorey found himself thinking that Castiel was a much, much better person than he was. He was trusting and loyal and not jealous or possessive over Mikleo like Sorey was, and that just made Sorey feel… _bad_.

But underneath the guilt, he felt his stomach twist at Castiel’s last comment. _I know where he’ll be sleeping tonight._ The thought of Mikleo wrapping his arms around the other man and snuggling up to him in his alcohol-induced flirtatious mood made Sorey want to throw up the little wine that he had consumed.

Sorey willed his emotions at bay and gave Castiel a tight smile. “I don’t think he’s had a crush on me for a long time – I was asleep for many years, after all.” He wanted to address Castiel’s trust, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t find it within himself to blatantly lie to Castiel’s face.

Castiel laughed at Sorey’s comment as Mikleo reached up to play with the feather earring on Sorey’s ear. Sorey blushed hotly, ears sensitive, and tried to pull away from Mikleo slightly, even though his body rejected the idea of keeping the water seraph away.

“Oh Sorey, Mikleo has divulged a lot to me over the years.” Castiel commented. “But don’t worry, his crush is just a little schoolboy thing that never found closure – you won’t have to deal with it much longer, I’m sure.”

Sorey had never felt more uncomfortable in his entire life. _If only you knew, Castiel._

Mikleo tickled Sorey’s side and nudged his shoulder with his nose, causing Sorey to jump in surprise. “It’s your turn!” Mikleo murmured, voice close to Sorey’s ear as he nuzzled into the crook of Sorey’s neck. Sorey felt as if he were on fire as Castiel watched their interactions with amusement. _How can he really not care?_

Sorey swallowed thickly, shaky fingers playing a blue card on top of the pile. Castiel was about to place a card down when there was a sudden soft knock on the front door that drew his attention away. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, as they were not expecting any other guests and it was getting late. “I’ll get it – Mikleo isn’t fit to greet guests right now.” He chuckled softly as he quickly stood and made his way to the door.

A woman that Sorey recognized from their small town stood behind the door when Castiel opened it. She pulled Castiel into a conversation that Sorey couldn’t hear from his position, and Castiel stepped outside to speak with her.

Mikleo, still pressed against Sorey’s side, nuzzled his face into Sorey’s neck again before pressing his lips to the soft skin right beneath Sorey’s ear. Sorey shivered. “Ah good, he’s gone.” Mikleo mumbled, intoxicated brain completely removing any of his normal filters. He kissed Sorey’s neck again before nibbling at his earlobe.

Sorey squeaked, caught between wanting to pull Mikleo closer and needing to get him away. “Mikleo!” He scolded quietly, reaching around to grab the seraph’s shoulders to hold him at arm’s length. “Don’t say things like that! You care about Castiel, remember? What’s gotten into you?” Sorey whispered, trying to find his friend’s violet eyes.

Mikleo smiled sweetly, a hand reaching up to twirl his own hair around his fingers coyly. Sorey had never seen anything so cute. “You have.” Mikleo responded, worrying his bottom lip as he played with his hair.

Sorey felt his entire body warm up at Mikleo’s comment, affection and adorable blossoming from the pit of his belly. He exhaled deeply, trying to stay in control of the situation. “God, okay – “ He paused. “You are incredibly cute when you’re drunk, and I really want to kiss you or let you continue doing what you’ve been doing but you can’t, okay?” His words tumbled out of his mouth quietly, trying his best to get through to the drunk seraph. “Castiel is right here and… and it’s just… we can’t, okay?”

It was so hard to ignore his desires, but he was _trying_. Castiel wasn’t a bad person, and he deserved at least a little respect, though Sorey knew that this was at least partly his fault, if not mainly his fault, for opening his affections to Mikleo in Ladylake. Mikleo pouted at his words, pale fingers dropping from his hair as he jutted his bottom lip out distractingly. Sorey wanted to bite that lip.

“He’s not here right _now._ ” Mikleo breathed, eyes mischievous as he leaned forward, pushing against Sorey’s hold until he was only an inch away from Sorey’s face. Sorey’s heart pounded in his chest as Mikleo reached up to skim his fingers through Sorey’s brunette locks. “Is he?”

Sorey whimpered, frustration and desire fighting against his ability to make clear decisions. He only wished he could have been there the very first time Mikleo had ever gotten drunk. He felt a tinge of jealousy swipe through his chest at the thought of Mikleo being this way with anyone else.

He had probably been like this with Castiel before.

Sorey swallowed down the ugly jealousy that bubbled in his chest. Mikleo leaned in a bit more just so that their lips could brush softly, and Sorey left out a soft whine. His fingers tightened where they were still holding Mikleo’s arms, instinctually pulling Mikleo just a little bit closer so that their lips would press against each other’s with more pressure.

Mikleo sighed softly, his fingers in Sorey’s hair soothing and gentle as he melted against the brunette, nibbling at the lightning seraph’s bottom lip and pushing his tongue into Sorey’s mouth commandingly. Sorey felt his heart flutter. Adult Mikleo was very, very good at getting what he wanted.

The kiss was deep, but soft and slow, and Sorey found himself falling into it like a well-planned trap. His fingers slid up to play with Mikleo’s hair, the water seraph humming softly at the feeling.

Suddenly, Sorey heard Castiel’s laugh through the door and was snapped back to reality. He heard the faint muffle of farewells being exchanged, and he hastily scrambled apart from Mikleo, cheeks flushed and breath coming in hot pants.

Mikleo audibly whined as Sorey forcibly removed his hands from his hair and put some distance between them just as Castiel came back into the house. Sorey tried to calm his racing heart, but Mikleo only pouted as Castiel came back to the table.

“Sorry about that.” Castiel said. “Elaine just needed to chat about something we had discovered on our trip earlier this month for her book.”

Mikleo shrugged, arms now crossed over his chest in a blatant pout that Sorey would have adored and worshipped had the two been alone. Even when they were younger, Mikleo was an open book with his expressions, but they were even more penetrating and obvious now. Castiel raised a brow at Mikleo’s stance. “Uh, is something wrong, dear?”

Mikleo’s violet eyes shot up to Castiel’s sharply, and for a second Sorey thought that Mikleo may have sobered up with how clear his gaze appeared. Mikleo sighed defeatedly and uncrossed his arms to rest his hands in his lap. “Sorey won’t let me love him.”

Sorey’s heart squeezed in his chest as a hundred different feelings ran through him for the second time that night. A hot flush rose up his neck and adorned his cheeks as he ran his hands over his face.

“I can’t believe this is happening.” He muttered, loud enough for the other men to hear.

Castiel busted out into laughter, causing Sorey to drop his hands and stare at him in disbelief. _Is this guy for real?_

“Alright.” Castiel was smiling – really, truly smiling, all the way up to his eyes, which crinkled at the corners with mirth. For a moment, Sorey was taken aback by how _pretty_ the redhead looked. “Come on, love. I think it’s time to get you to bed.”

Sorey swallowed hard as he watched Castiel make his way over to Mikleo and help him out of his chair. Mikleo groaned. “Nooooo,” He whined, violet orbs looking back at Sorey. “I want Sorey!”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “Well Sorey doesn’t want you, you crybaby.” He mumbled, the first hint of irritation he’d given all night, as he hoisted Mikleo’s arm over his shoulder.

Sorey felt despair at Castiel’s words. _No, no, no, that’s not true. God, I want you, Mikleo. All of you. All the time._

But instead of voicing his thoughts, Sorey just smiled weakly, feeling surprisingly drained and exhausted from the night. Castiel smiled kindly at Sorey before he took Mikleo in back, pushing the curtain to his bedroom open and assisting the drunk seraph into bed.

Sorey deflated and ran his fingers through his hair anxiously, trying to comprehend his situation. _What the hell just happened? How was Mikleo just all over me but is now in back with Castiel?_

A couple minutes later, Castiel reemerged from the bedroom. He sighed heavily, and when Sorey looked at him, he noticed how exhausted Castiel looked himself. “I’m so sorry about his behavior, Sorey.” Castiel apologized as he grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen. Sorey assumed it was for Mikleo. “He really is a demanding flirt when he’s drunk. I hope he didn’t make you uncomfortable. He’d really hate himself in the morning if he did – he’ll probably hate himself in the morning for this, anyway.” Castiel chuckled lightly.

Sorey forced himself to act normal, even though everything that Castiel said was grating on his emotions. “No, he didn’t make me too uncomfortable, really – I just didn’t want you to get upset. You know, since you’re his boyfriend and all.”

His words came out a little harsher than he had intended, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Castiel. The redhead set the water on the table and leaned against the back of one of the chairs casually, eyes narrowing only slightly as he pondered his next words. “Sorey… Do you dislike me?”

Sorey felt as if he had just been punched in the gut. _No. Yes. I honestly have no idea._ Sorey’s head spun with his thoughts as he tried to keep up with them. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut to orient himself before finally looking back up at the seraph. “No, Castiel,“ He stated, sighing softly. “I want Mikleo to be happy, and you’re a part of what makes him happy.” Sorey used Castiel’s earlier words. “So how could I dislike you?”

He spoke the truth, even if he wasn’t happy about it.

Castiel gave a small smile to Sorey before looking away. “I appreciate that, Sorey.” He said, pushing himself away from the chair to head back to the bedroom. “I want you to know that I recognize that your place in Mikleo’s heart can never be replaced, no matter how much I care about him.” He looked back at the lightning seraph, something akin to sad acceptance in his eyes. “There is nobody more special to him than you.”

Castiel seemed to simply accept that statement, as if loving Mikleo meant that he had to deal with Sorey _and_ Mikleo’s apparent lingering feelings for the former Shepherd. Sorey didn’t have the heart to tell Castiel that it was a lot more complicated than an old schoolboy crush. However, he did feel happiness in his heart at Castiel’s words.

“You don’t know how much that means to me, Castiel.” Sorey responded truthfully. He stood, stretched, and gathered his belongings. It was about time to try and get some rest after such an eventful and stressful night. “Have a good night.”

Castiel waved, smile kind and eyes warm as Sorey headed toward the exit. “Goodnight, Sorey.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Mikleo woke up feeling groggy and warm. His memories supplied that his alcohol consumption the previous night was what resulted in his grogginess, but the warmth was attributed to the pale, redheaded man wrapped around his torso.

“Good morning, Mikleo.”

Mikleo tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes but found it too hard and not worth the effort. He grumbled something akin to a morning greeting and rolled onto his side so that Castiel was pressed against his back instead of wrapped around him in a bind.

Castiel chuckled quietly as he ran a hand down Mikleo’s side before wrapping it around his waist. He slid his other hand into Mikleo’s long locks, twisting it soothingly. Mikleo sighed sleepily, relaxed in his boyfriend’s arms. Castiel swept the hair away from Mikleo’s neck before leaning down to lazily trail warm kisses up to the water seraph’s ear.

“You know, you _almost_ made me jealous last night.” Castiel murmured softly, nose nudging Mikleo’s ear. Mikleo scrunched his brows together, finally reaching up to rub his face into awakening.

“Mmm, what?” Mikleo yawned, nuzzling his face into the pillow and enjoying the feel of Castiel leaning forward to pepper kisses along his jaw, trying to convince Mikleo to turn so he could kiss him properly. Mikleo wasn’t much of a morning person. Castiel was. So their lazy mornings were often spent with Castiel trying to convince Mikleo that he should get up or, at the very least, stay awake to spend the morning cuddling together.

“Last night,” Castiel said again, pausing at his gentle attack to Mikleo’s neck and jaw. He nuzzled the sensitive skin of Mikleo’s neck lovingly. “You were all over the old Shepherd.”

Castiel’s words finally hit Mikleo as realization dawned on him and made his blood run cold. He squeaked and scrambled to face Castiel, violet eyes wide with anxiety. He was definitely awake now. “Oh my God, Castiel, I’m-“

Castiel leaned forward to capture Mikleo’s lips in a slow, lazy kiss, cutting him off. He pulled away, green eyes shining, lips pulled into a gentle smile. “Don’t apologize, Mik.” He murmured, nudging Mikleo’s nose with his own. “I saw it coming, and you can’t control how you feel. I don’t want you to apologize for your feelings.”

Mikleo wasn’t sure what to do with that statement but felt heat flush across his cheeks in embarrassment. How had he thought drinking around Sorey _and_ Castiel had been a good idea? He knew how he got when he drank. Swallowing the sick feeling trying to rise up his throat, Mikleo looked away. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Castiel’s gentle gaze as guilt and shame laced through his veins. If he were honest with himself, he wasn’t sure if he felt guiltier because of the complicated, unfair mess he had created with Sorey or because he hurt Castiel. “You’re too good to me, Castiel.”

The words tasted like ash on his tongue. Mikleo felt as if he were cheating on Sorey and Castiel at the same time.

Castiel didn’t seem to notice Mikleo’s obvious discomfort. He leaned closer again, kissing Mikleo on the nose. Mikleo was transported back to Ladylake where Sorey had done the same thing in the graveyard. He swallowed his feelings down. Castiel grinned. “Well… you could make it up to me…”

Mikleo flushed and worried his bottom lip. “Are you hungry? I can make breakfast.” He suggested, voice lighter than how he felt. He _knew_ what Castiel was eluding at… but he wasn’t quite in the mood for intimacies.

Castiel’s eyes twinkled against his flushed cheeks. He looked exuberant and totally smitten. _He deserves so much better than what I’ve given him._

“I’m certainly hungry.” Castiel murmured, voice low. Mikleo felt something in his belly stir, the timbre of Castiel’s voice warm and familiar to him. It was comforting, even as Mikleo felt nearly crushed by his emotions.

Castiel didn’t let Mikleo respond before he slid his hands over Mikleo’s hips, fingers brushing beneath the fabric of his night shirt and teasing the soft, pale skin they found there. He tugged gently, pulling the water seraph forward so that he could roll Mikleo atop of him. Castiel grinned as he slid his fingers up, twining them in Mikleo’s loose hair, and pulled the other man down into a slow burning kiss.

Mikleo tried to turn his thoughts and feelings off. _Be present,_ he told himself over and over, like a mantra. _Just be here for now, deal with the rest of the mess you’ve made later._

Castiel hummed against Mikleo’s lips as he scraped his nails against Mikleo’s scalp. He pulled away from the kiss only enough to pull Mikleo’s bottom lip in between his teeth gently, earning a soft sound from Mikleo that he relished. He slid his hands down Mikleo’s back and over his bottom, squeezing gently and pulling the water seraph ever closer.

Mikleo’s head was spinning. His body was responding to Castiel’s touches as it always did – they were warm, familiar, and easy. But his heart pounded in his chest wildly, a burning sick feeling settling in the pit of his stomach as Castiel trailed soft kisses over the pale skin of his throat.

Castiel nipped at his collarbone, sucking gently at the places that he knew Mikleo responded to best, and Mikleo _did_ respond. His back arched, hips pushing down against Castiel’s, pale hair cascading down his back as he tilted his head back slightly. Mikleo tried desperately to force his feelings back, to ignore the thoughts of _Sorey_ that were welling at the forefront of his mind.

Castiel’s hands were suddenly tugging Mikleo’s shirt up and over his head, his hands trailing over the newly exposed flesh as his lips followed. Mikleo keened forward when Castiel took a nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue teasingly. The water seraph slid his fingers into Castiel’s red hair, a moan slipping from his lips when Castiel nipped at the sensitive bud.

Castiel chuckled softly as he pulled away. He leaned back so that he could gaze at Mikleo’s flushed cheeks, green eyes dark and reminding Mikleo too much of Sorey’s in that moment. Castiel ran a hand up Mikleo’s side before resting his palm against Mikleo’s cheek with a soft smile. Mikleo’s heart fluttered in the most confusing way. “You’re beautiful, Mikleo.”

Mikleo’s heart constricted as he averted his gaze, guilt burning through him as if Castiel had lit a fire under his skin. Castiel interpreted Mikleo’s avoiding gaze as the sudden shyness that Mikleo sometimes exhibited, and Mikleo _knew_ , which made his guilt even heavier to bear.

He forced himself to look back at Castiel, and in that moment, his guilt was so strong that he almost told Castiel the truth about how he felt about both him and Sorey, but then Castiel was kissing him again, and Mikleo’s opportunity was gone.

Castiel flipped them over gently, discarding his own shirt in the process. He pressed more gentle kisses down Mikleo’s chest and abdomen, fingers trailing lightly over the exposed skin of Mikleo’s hips. Mikleo let out a soft whine when he pressed teasing kisses along the waistband of his white sleeping pants, a hand slipping down to gently palm at the heat between Mikleo’s legs.

Castiel rested his head on Mikleo’s thigh, slowly stroking Mikleo through the thin fabric. Mikleo hadn’t been responding as enthusiastically as normal, and he was only half-hard. Castiel leaned to place a soft kiss on Mikleo’s exposed hip before gazing up at the man beneath him. “Still sleepy?”

Mikleo swallowed hard, the sick feeling in his tummy returning. He looked down at Castiel and chewed on his bottom lip. Castiel was looking at him with so much warmth and affection, red hair tousled and fair skin tinged pink. He forced himself to smile at the fire seraph. “Yeah, sorry.” He lied softly. He was wide awake. It was his mess of emotions that was keeping him from properly enjoying their tirade. He reached down and ran his fingers through Castiel’s hair gently, earning a soft hum from the fire seraph.

Mikleo was suddenly even _more_ grateful that the Age of Chaos was over and the land was still incredibly pure because he was certain that his guilt would have turned him into a dragon by now otherwise.

Castiel lazily climbed his way back up Mikleo’s body, placing soft kisses on his skin every so often. He supported himself over the water seraph before leaning down to pull Mikleo into a warm, slow kiss and then collapsing beside the other man and wrapping his arms around Mikleo’s waist to pull him into a lazy morning embrace.

Mikleo allowed himself to relax into Castiel’s familiar warmth, relief flooding through him that Castiel was okay with cutting their playtime short.

“You know I love you, right?” Castiel murmured, pulling Mikleo in close and nuzzling his face into Mikleo’s neck, kissing softly. Mikleo swallowed hard, cheeks flushing from Castiel’s words as his heart pounded in his ears. That was the first time Castiel had ever said those words out loud, though his actions had always been a good indicator of his true feelings.

Mikleo couldn’t bring himself to say those words in return. Instead of responding, he took Castiel’s hand in his and brought it up to place a soft kiss on his palm. He held the pale hand close to his chest and closed his eyes with a deep exhale.

Castiel thought that kiss was Mikleo’s way of saying the words that he couldn’t voice.

In a way, that was true.

However, the _I love you_ that Castiel interpreted was nowhere near the _I’m so sorry_ that Mikleo meant.

 

* * *

 

Mikleo’s fingers itched as he chopped a carrot into bits for the stew he was making for dinner. Castiel sat at the dining table, looking at a flyer that was circulating around the town about some Solstice festival that would be happening soon in Ladylake. He finished chopping the carrot and slid the pieces into the pot on the stove.

He wished Sorey were there.

It wasn't like Sorey was _far._ He was only about 50ft away in his own house, probably making dinner himself – well, probably not. Sorey wasn’t very good at meals, so he was probably just munching on some jerky instead. Mikleo bit his lip, thinking back to their spontaneous rendezvous in Ladylake.

If he thought about it enough, he could almost feel Sorey’s fingers tugging at his hair and mouth pressed to his neck. He sighed softly, knowing he shouldn’t be thinking about these desires with his boyfriend literally sitting behind him, especially after their tryst earlier that morning, but it was getting more and more difficult to hide his true feelings.

The reality of the situation was that he didn’t want to hurt Castiel because he truly cared about him, but he absolutely would rather be with Sorey. Sorey would always be his first choice, really. If anyone would have asked him 800 years ago or asked him now, Sorey would be his choice. But that wasn’t fair to Castiel, and so Mikleo didn’t know how best to deal with his feelings - not that their current situation was fair, either.

“Everything okay?”

Castiel’s voice broke Mikleo out of his reverie. Mikleo cleared his throat and looked over his shoulder at Castiel, ponytail sliding over his shoulder. “Oh – yeah. I was just… thinking about how Sorey probably hasn’t had dinner tonight. He’s not very good at feeding himself on his own, really.” It wasn’t a complete lie.

Castiel gave a contemplative look. “You seem to worry about him a lot.” He stated. It wasn’t as accusatory as much as it was factual. “Why don’t you take him something if it worries you that much?” He mused. “We have some leftover flank and potatoes in the icebox that I don’t mind him having.”

Mikleo felt his chest constrict at how thoughtful Castiel’s words were and felt a stab of guilt follow suit. Swallowing his mess of emotions, he nodded. “Okay, yeah that’s a good idea. Will you watch the stew while I’m gone?”

Castiel smiled and stood to stretch. He walked over and placed a hand on the crown of Mikleo’s head, pulling him in to kiss him on the forehead. “Of course. I know how much you worry about those you care about.”

Mikleo smiled tightly. “Thank you, Castiel.” He murmured, pulling the leftover meal from the fridge and brushing his bangs back nervously. “I shouldn’t be long.”

Castiel hummed in response and stirred the stew as Mikleo slipped out the door.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey’s door had never looked so intimidating before.

Mikleo exhaled deeply. His heart was pounding with anxiety from the secrets he was keeping from Castiel, but also from anticipation of seeing Sorey. His body hummed with a pull toward the boy inside the house before him.

He reached up and knocked after another moment’s hesitation. He heard a muffled “Coming!” from within and couldn’t help the affectionate smile that adorned his lips. Sorey had probably been caught up in reading a book by the fireplace.

Sorey appeared before him a moment later looking disheveled. His blue button-down was loose at the top, revealing the tan skin of his chest and collarbones as it clung to him loosely, and the sleeves were rolled up in a way that made his forearms look _incredible._ His hair was mussed as if he had been running his fingers through it, and pair of reading glasses perched on his nose (meaning, Mikleo noted, that he had been correct in his assumption that Sorey had been reading).

Mikleo felt his mouth go dry at the sight before him.

“Mikleo!” Sorey exclaimed happily, cheeks flushing excitedly at the unexpected visit. He hadn’t seen the water seraph at all that day and had actually begun to worry if something had happened after their game night’s events. “What’s up?” He moved out of the doorway to let the other boy in as usual.

Mikleo swallowed, trying to quell the lump forming in his throat. “I, uhm-“ Sorey was staring at him with those bright green eyes behind his glasses. _Wow, okay, he should wear glasses all the time. Or maybe not – too distracting._ “Thought you probably hadn’t eaten so I brought you dinner.”

Mikleo raised the bag of food in his hand as an indication. Sorey chuckled quietly as he headed to the kitchen. “Well, you weren’t wrong.” He laughed. “I was going to pull out some of the jerky I had left a little later. I was caught up in a book I found in Gramps’ old library.”

Smiling fondly, Mikleo handed Sorey the bag. “Of course you were.”

Sorey’s smile reached the corners of his eyes. “Thank you, Mikleo.”

There was comfortable silence as Sorey pulled the leftovers out. Mikleo watched Sorey’s movements, fixated on the thought that he was certain he had never found someone this attractive in his entire life. Without thinking, he reached out and placed a hand on Sorey’s forearm, halting Sorey’s movements of getting a plate for his food.

Sorey raised an eyebrow in question. Mikleo bit his lip, unable to hold back the soft noise that escaped him when Sorey turned to face him so that Mikleo could fully look at him again. “Everything okay, Mikleo? Want some?” He asked.

Mikleo shook his head and stepped forward. He slid his hand up Sorey’s shoulder before he reached his other hand up to wrap around Sorey’s neck. Sorey’s eyes widened and his hands came to Mikleo’s waist naturally. “No.” Mikleo murmured softly. “I probably have twenty minutes before Castiel gets suspicious and I need to touch you _now._ ”

“Oh-“ Sorey tried to respond, but Mikleo was on him in a second. The food was forgotten as Mikleo pressed his body against Sorey’s until Sorey stumbled back against the counter. Sorey’s hands found purchase at the small of Mikleo’s back, fisting in the fabric of his shirt. Mikleo’s lips were everywhere all at once, and when his teeth teased the skin beneath Sorey’s ear, Sorey found himself gripping Mikleo’s bottom and rutting his hips against Mikleo’s, earning himself a very rewarding whine.

After reflecting on their tirade in Ladylake and Mikleo’s drunken actions last night, Sorey wasn’t sure how he had never done this with Mikleo _before_ he was a seraph because he sure felt like he missed out on a lot during their time together growing up. He had never seen Mikleo like this before – needy, clingy, pushy, touchy. He _loved_ it.

Mikleo ran shaky fingers down to play with the clasped buttons of Sorey’s shirt, popping them open easily and sliding his fingers under the fabric to tease hot skin. It was like exploring a ruin – learning all the secrets and buttons to push to get the proper reaction. When his fingers brushed across a particularly sensitive spot on Sorey’s side, the other boy let out a loud moan and buried his face in Mikleo’s shoulder, his hips bucking involuntarily.

“What-“ Sorey panted, trying to comprehend what was happening because it was all moving so fast. His head was spinning with desires and pent up feelings of frustration. Mikleo didn’t let the other boy continue before he brushed curious fingers over a dusky nipple gently, earning a whine that sent arousal straight through Mikleo.

Mikleo’s fingers pinched Sorey’s nipple experimentally and Sorey’s head fell back with a loud moan. Mikleo decided that he really liked the sound of that and repeated the action, pressing forward to nibble at the newly exposed skin of Sorey’s neck. He gently took the skin between his teeth and sucked, and Sorey arched into him wildly. Mikleo hoped that there would be a mark.

It wasn’t like _this_ with Castiel. Castiel was warm and gentle and slow and loving. And Sorey was all of those things on a normal day, too – but he was also electricity and want and need. The difference between their interactions made Mikleo’s back arch into Sorey and his heart pound and his blood rush. Castiel was a warm fireplace on a cold winter’s night. He was like conversations over coffee, oversized sweaters in autumn, and bonfires beneath clear winter skies. Castiel was comfort. But Sorey was a thunderstorm in summer, like books tucked beneath blankets, heat lightning on humid nights, and fireflies blinking outside of tents during ruin exploration.

Mikleo was a water seraph after all – he thoroughly preferred storms over flames.

Sorey’s body was on _fire_. One hand slid down to grip the back of Mikleo’s thigh, instinctively pulling the water seraph’s leg up to hitch over his hip to press against him more firmly. His other hand slid up and tangled itself into Mikleo’s hair and tugged, earning himself a soft, wanton whine from Mikleo.

Mikleo found himself grinding into Sorey, breaths coming out in hot pants in Sorey’s ear. Sorey groaned, Mikleo’s noises making his insides coil deliciously. “Ah-“ He panted out, distracted as Mikleo sucked at the lobe of his ear. “You make the best little –  ah – noises.”

Mikleo whimpered at Sorey’s comment, feeling himself losing control. He had always been a sucker for praise even when they were younger, but this was on an entirely different level.

Sorey nipped at Mikleo’s neck, hands wandering and trying to find a way to touch unexplored skin. He just wanted to feel more of the beautiful seraph in front of him, to see more of that pale skin flushed pink and worship it like Mikleo deserved. Just as Sorey’s fingers found one of the clasps to release Mikleo’s cloak, the water seraph groaned and pulled away slightly.

“Oh God –“ Mikleo panted, sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth as his toes curled against the floor, body rebelling at being farther away from Sorey. “I’m so sorry – we… we have to stop before I get too worked up and have to go home looking disheveled with an unexplainable… problem.” Mikleo’s cheeks were flushed as he averted his gaze, clearly feeling a little bad for starting something he couldn’t finish. Sorey wished Mikleo had been bashful like this _last night_ , but not _now._ The hard heat between Mikleo’s legs was just as apparent as Sorey’s, and there was only so much hiding the water seraph could do. Sorey let out a quiet, desperate sounding whine at the thought of Mikleo leaving while his body was still aflame with frustration and tension.

“Are you absolutely sure? Maybe it will be less obvious if we take care of the problem…” He tried, a finger tracing up Mikleo’s slender neck and across his jaw. Mikleo shuddered lightly, pupils blown wide when he looked back up at Sorey. He bit his lip again and nodded apologetically, even though his eyes told Sorey that all he wanted to do was ravish him.

Sorey was breathless when Mikleo kissed him deep and slow in parting. “Yes… I have to go, but... I think you should wear your glasses more often.” He smiled wide as he slowly untangled himself from Sorey’s embrace with an immense amount of control.

“This was all because of my _glasses?!_ ” Sorey exclaimed, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his lips. He followed Mikleo to the door, feeling very much like a teenager trying to get as many seconds in before he had to return his date home.

Mikleo blushed, turned around, and leaned in to give Sorey a quick, chaste kiss. Sorey took the opportunity to wrap an arm around Mikleo's waist, stepping closer and deepening the kiss. He slid his free hand up to brush over Mikleo's cheek and up into his hair. Mikleo gave a contented sound, but forced himself to pull away and out of Sorey's embrace again even so. Sorey was completely unsatisfied, but the last thing he wanted was Castiel to come snooping around his house again. “Mmm, what can I say, I like a well-read gentleman.” Mikleo flirted, reaching up to tap Sorey’s glasses. Mikleo’s tone made Sorey’s heart flutter and he had to hold himself back from wrapping the other boy back into his arms.

Instead, Sorey rolled his eyes and smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

Mikleo slid his fingers up into Sorey’s hair to try to quell the disheveled mess even though he was sure his own hair was a mess of its own. Sorey bit his lip, reveling in the feeling of Mikleo's fingers in his hair. “Of course. Why don’t we go see what else is in Gramps’ library?”

Sorey nodded and grabbed Mikleo’s hand before it could return to his side. He pulled it to his lips gently and kissed the back of it affectionately. “It’s a date.”

Mikleo bit his lip to hide his smile. He rolled his eyes even as a deep flush rose up his neck. "Silly romantic." He murmured softly before pulling his hand away gently and holding it close to his chest.

Sorey's smile was bright as he leaned forward slightly, dancing on the balls of his feet. "Only for you."

Mikleo's heart fluttered. He leaned in, placed a sweet kiss on Sorey's cheek, and then forced himself to leave before he didn’t have the willpower to do so anymore. And when Castiel met him with a hot bowl of stew and no questions when he returned, he felt the heaviest weight of guilt in the pit of his stomach yet.

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey couldn’t sleep. He was still worked up over his tussle with Mikleo in the kitchen earlier. Throwing his arm over his eyes, he released a huff of frustration. Everything felt _hot._ He had already shed his clothes down to his undergarments, but he still felt as if the room was afire.

He was frustrated in more ways than one. First, he _hated_ the fact that Mikleo was asleep in a bed with a man he didn’t love at that very moment. He prayed that they were just sleeping – the jealous monster that he had met a few weeks ago when he realized his feelings for Mikleo stirred from its slumber at the thought of them doing _other_ things, but he quickly shoved it back down where it belonged. Second, he was, for probably the first time in his life, truly sexually frustrated. Sure, he had dealt with the typical male pubescent frustrations, but this was something else entirely.

Sighing, Sorey removed his arm from his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He slowly let a hand trail down his abdomen and over his stomach to press against the fabric that covered his still-hard erection. He swallowed as he slid his fingers under the band of his boxers and pressed his fingers into the hot flesh below. He hissed softly as he ran his fingers up the length experimentally and sighed when the motions gave him a little bit of relief.

If only Mikleo were _here_ , then they could finish what he started, whatever that may be.

Seeing Mikleo almost feverish with desire earlier had made Sorey feel… almost powerful. It made him feel good to know that he could drive Mikleo as crazy as the water seraph drove him without even doing anything. Not only that, but the way Mikleo seemed to go after what he wanted so easily really sent electricity down Sorey’s spine. Mikleo had always been stubborn and headstrong, but he had matured and now harnessed those attributes into confidence.

It really, really turned Sorey on.

He groaned as he thumbed the head of his cock, precum leaking from the top easily. He imagined Mikleo next to him, knowing that the man would probably tease him a bit and drive him _just_ a little bit more toward the edge of desperate. He would probably ask Sorey what he liked (which would make Sorey a little shy) and adjust his movements until Sorey was a babbling mess. He would kiss him and nibble on his ear and grind his hips against Sorey's and release those needy sounds in his ear that would just drive Sorey _crazy…_

Sorey threw his head to the side and tried to cover his moan with his free arm as he pushed himself over the edge, images of Mikleo flooding his mind. He whimpered softly as he pumped himself through his orgasm. When he was done, he felt a slight release of his frustrations, but it was coupled with an overwhelming sense of loneliness that enveloped him as he was left alone in the dark knowing the man he loved was in bed with someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POOR SOREY  
> POOR CASTIEL  
> POOR MIKLEO
> 
> Also MAN that Castiel/Mikleo scene was hella hard to write, not gonna lie.


	5. Commencement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikleo and Sorey deal with the consequences of their actions. It's not entirely pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the final chapter! It sort of ran away from me... so enjoy the 10k+ finale. You might need tissues ;)
> 
> Again, heed the tags/rating.

Mikleo knew something was wrong.

He and Sorey were currently digging through some of Gramps’ old books, reminiscing about their younger days when Gramps was still around. The memory of his death still pained the two but being able to enjoy old memories together helped ease the angst. Even so, Mikleo felt that something was off with Sorey, who wasn’t quite as bright or involved as usual. Mikleo found this unusual, particularly after their soiree last night when he had brought Sorey dinner and how enthusiastic Sorey had been for their plans today.

“Sorey?” Mikleo broke the silence that had fallen between the two. Sorey turned to look at Mikleo with a book in hand, eyebrow raised in question but otherwise remained quiet. “Are you okay?”

Sorey looked caught off guard by the question but offered Mikleo a tight smile that the water seraph identified as fake immediately. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He answered.

“That’s a lie if you’ve ever told one.”

Sorey furrowed his brows and averted his gaze. Mikleo stepped closer, placing a hand on Sorey’s shoulder. “Sorey, please talk to me.” He murmured, noting the glasses that were tucked in the front pocket of Sorey’s shirt. His stomach flopped at the sight and he reached up to grab them and place them upon Sorey’s nose.

Mikleo’s actions brought a small, genuine smile to Sorey’s face. He had brought the glasses because he knew Mikleo liked them (and a part of him deep down was hoping to repeat last night’s events), and that made him happy. However, he couldn’t bring himself to actually put them on when he was leaving his house this morning because of the empty feeling that had pooled in the pit of his stomach last night. He caught Mikleo’s hand as it retreated from his face and brought it to his lips to kiss it gently.

“Mikleo, I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

The words hit Mikleo like a punch to the stomach. His brows furrowed, and his expression changed to match Sorey’s disgruntled one. “What do you mean?” He questioned carefully, dread and fear creeping like ice in his veins.

Sorey sighed and didn’t meet Mikleo’s eyes. Mikleo was fairly certain Sorey was trying not to cry. “I just… This- you and me. It’s not that I don’t _want_ to, but… it’s hard, you know?” He finally looked up to meet Mikleo’s stricken gaze. “It’s hard… being the one you want, but not the one you come home to.”

Mikleo felt his heart constrict with emotion as he searched Sorey’s face. He struggled to put his emotions into words. “I- I know, Sorey. It’s just… Castiel-“

Sorey cut him off. “No, I know. That’s why I want to make it easier on you.” He said softly. Typical Sorey, always trying to think of others before himself. “I don’t want you to carry this guilt, and you care about him. Listen, he was here for you when I wasn’t and that _means_ something. I don’t want to force you to end the good thing that you have with him for me. I have no right to just come back and insert myself back into your life. Castiel is… good for you.” He looked heartbroken at his own words, and Mikleo’s heart broke in tandem.

Mikleo grabbed Sorey’s hand with both of his and held onto it tightly. “No, Sorey please – I told you that I don’t love him! I don’t want to hurt him, but I don’t love him. I – “ He paused, eyes shining with tears that he willed not to fall. “When you… when you came back, I had never been so happy in my entire life. It was as if the missing piece to my puzzle had finally been placed in the proper spot, like my world had realigned or something.” He paused and took a deep breath. “And I know I haven’t been going about this right and – well, I haven’t been fair to either of you, really, but you _have_ to know that you’re not just guilt on my conscience or just a… fling.” He pulled his hands away to wipe at tears that escaped before wrapping his arms around himself. Sorey wanted to wrap his arms around Mikleo instead.

“I mean, I - I love you, Sorey. It’s always been you.” Mikleo finished quietly, gaze on the floor. The words meant so much _more_ when spoken aloud, especially when he hadn’t been able to say them to Castiel yesterday.

It was Sorey’s turn to feel as if the wind had been knocked out of him. His head spun, and his heart pounded loudly in his ears at Mikleo’s confession. It wasn’t that Sorey didn’t _know_ how Mikleo felt, but hearing it out loud was entirely new. He wanted nothing more than embrace the seraph in front of him and kiss him, but he refrained because he knew it wasn’t the proper time.

“What the actual fuck?”

Both boys nearly jumped out of their skin at the voice that sliced through the still air of Gramps’ house. Their eyes shot to the source in unison, and both felt panic and dread fill their veins for different reasons at the same time when their gazes settled on Castiel’s outline in the doorway.

“Castiel-“ Mikleo looked stricken, but Castiel cut him off.

“No.” The redhead interrupted, voice hard as stone. He tossed a bag into the room and turned on his heel to leave. A few pieces of fruit rolled out of the bag – Castiel, ever the thoughtful one, had been bringing them a snack and had walked in on a conversation he had not wanted to hear.

“I have to go.” Mikleo muttered frantically, grabbing his cloak that he had left on the coatrack by the fireplace.

“Wait, Mikleo-“

“No, I’m sorry Sorey. I have to-“

Sorey grabbed Mikleo’s shoulders and shook him gently to hold his attention and ground him. Mikleo’s watery, shattered, wide-eyed gaze settled on Sorey temporarily. A lot of heartbreak had just happened in less than ten minutes between the three of them, and the logical part of Mikleo’s brain was starting to shut down, leaving nothing but emotional exhaustion and panic. “I know you have to go, but I’m not going to let you go through this alone, okay?” He promised. “I am just as guilty as you are.”

Mikleo swallowed and nodded slowly before tears welled over and spilled down his cheeks. Undoubtedly, this is not how Mikleo had wanted any of these confessions to go. Sorey felt his chest tighten with sadness as he pulled Mikleo into a tight embrace and let the water seraph release his pent-up feelings.

It was time to set things straight, even if they weren’t particularly ready to do so.

 

* * *

 

 

Mikleo was shaking as they approached his house. He was trying to reel his emotions back because he knew there was no way he could go inside and try to make anything better while crying. Sorey was quiet beside him, offering the silence he knew Mikleo needed to find his resolve. Swallowing hard, Mikleo forced himself to push open his front door even though his fingers felt numb. Sorey followed close behind, which was comforting to the water seraph, even if it probably wasn’t going to make the situation any better.

Inside, he found Castiel pacing, fingers running through his red locks haphazardly and face red from obvious distress. It was clear that the fire seraph had already been crying. The stare he gave them as they entered the house was penetrating and cold, and for the first time Mikleo found himself feeling unwelcome in his own home.

Mikleo forced himself to break the painful silence. “Castiel – Can we… can we talk?”

Castiel glared, which caught Sorey by surprise. The redheaded man was always so calm and collected that seeing him distraught made the situation even worse. “About what?” He spat, voice shaking but still full of venom. “About how you took advantage of my kindness to hook up with your best friend?” He snapped, words a slap straight to Mikleo’s heart.

For a moment, Mikleo was speechless, the cold partial-truth of Castiel’s words stealing his voice. He _had_ taken advantage of Castiel’s kindness, though Sorey meant much more to him than just a hookup. He blinked back the tears that were welling in his eyes again. “That’s not-“

“ _Or_ ,” Castiel interrupted, voice even harder, though his gaze was less anger and more hurt. “About how I told you that I _loved_ you yesterday and you didn’t even have the _decency_ to tell me the truth?”

His words were quiet, but they shook both Sorey and Mikleo to the core, leaving them both feeling hollow. Sorey felt cold all over. He hadn’t known that Castiel had told Mikleo that he loved him the day prior, and it made the turmoil in his stomach even worse. He passed his gaze of to Mikleo, wanting to press his fingers into the water seraph’s skin and comfort him, but he couldn’t, which made him even dizzier with distress.

Mikleo’s fingers tingled numbly from guilt as his heart pounded loud in his chest with anxiety and panic. “Castiel, I’m so—” Mikleo tried to apologize, voice cracking as he tried to hold his tears back.

Castiel groaned, cutting Mikleo off. “ _Don’t_.” He growled, closing his eyes and pressing his fingers to his eyelids. It was very clear that he was trying to contain his emotions. “I _told_ you not to apologize for your feelings, and I meant that.” He finally reopened his eyes, fixing Mikleo with a hurt stare. Mikleo’s heart pounded in his chest. “Why didn’t you just tell me? Talk to me about it?” Castiel’s voice shook. “That’s the worst part – I _knew_ how you felt, and I tried to be as understanding as possible, but you still kept this from me.”

Sorey felt the need to look away. He felt as if he were interrupting an intimate moment, but he didn’t want to leave unless Mikleo asked him to. Words were on his tongue, desire to step in and explain things to Castiel heavy in his heart, but he knew that it wasn’t just his feelings that needed explaining, so he kept his mouth clamped shut.

Mikleo wrung his fingers together where they were laced in front of him. He sniffled slightly as he tried to fight the tears welling in his eyes long enough to respond. Seeing Mikleo so upset made both Sorey and Castiel want to wrap him in a hug, but neither man moved to do so.

“I know, Castiel.” Mikleo finally found his words. He forced his watery gaze up to meet Castiel’s, who was now standing with his arms folded across his chest both to keep himself from reaching over and touching Mikleo and as a defensive posture. “I… I went about this entire situation wrong. I was unfair to both of you, and… That’s totally my fault.” He paused, wiping a couple tears away that had escaped, forcing himself to continue even though his words were beginning to warp from emotion. “I won’t apologize for my feelings, but I _am_ sorry that I did this to both of you. You _both_ deserve better.”

Sorey felt as though his heart had been stabbed with a million tiny, sharp pins. He took a step toward Mikleo, mouth opening to say something, _anything_ , because it wasn’t just Mikleo’s fault, but Mikleo stepped away from him, sad violet eyes flickering between the two men.

“I’m sorry.” Mikleo said again, voice so quiet that it was hard for the others to hear. He wrapped his arms around himself and turned on his heel, desperately needing to find a place to be alone and let his feelings out. Before either man could stop him, the water seraph was already out of the house.

Sorey stared at Mikleo’s front door, every fiber of his being pushing for him to follow Mikleo, but his feet wouldn’t move. He slowly turned to look at Castiel, green eyes meeting a similar green in silence.

And then, quickly and without warning, Castiel punched Sorey in the face.

 

* * *

 

Mikleo sat cross-legged in the grass, Spectral Cloak cocooning him in isolation. The breeze played with his hair, teasing it gently. The water seraph stared at the ground in front of him, cheeks sticky from salty tears and head pounding dully from the stress.

“Gramps, how do I fix this?”

There was no answer from the stone in front of him, but the breeze continued to graze his skin. Briefly, Mikleo wondered if Zaveid could read the wind wherever he was and interpret his distress.

Not that it mattered – Mikleo was the only one who could fix the mess he had created. And Zaveid probably wasn’t the best person to get romantic advice from, anyway.

He sniffled and plucked a couple innocent blades of grass from the ground, desperately needing something for his hands to do as his thoughts swirled. Part of him wished that Sorey or Castiel had followed him, but he knew he was the one who had to set things straight. Not for the first time, he wished Gramps was there to give him some guidance.

_How do I fix this in a way that will hurt the least amount of people?_

_How do I fix this so that I can be happy too?_

Mikleo hugged his knees to his chest, feeling small even with the big weight of guilt on his shoulders. He laid his cheek on his knee and let himself cry, soft sniffles getting lost in the wind. He had almost cried himself to sleep in his safe invisible bubble when he heard the soft crunch of grass beneath boots approaching from behind. His heart raced in a panic as he turned around quickly, ensuring that his Spectral Cloak was still active.

It wasn’t either of the men that he thought it might be, but instead, a young woman with a batch of flowers held tightly in her small fist. Mikleo recognized her briefly from around Elysia but couldn’t put a name to her face. She stopped at a grave nearby, completely oblivious to Mikleo’s distressed form only a few graves over.

The woman knelt in front of the stone, gently placing the batch of flowers over the soft grass. A sad smile graced her face as she touched the headstone with graceful fingers, and Mikleo could tell she was trying very hard not to cry when she spoke.

“Hello, dear.” Her voice cracked. “Happy thirtieth anniversary.”

Mikleo felt hollow as he watched the scene before him, sympathy swallowing up his mess of emotions. The woman ran her hand over the grass warmly. “I miss you every day, and will always love you, you know.” She trailed her hand back up to the headstone to trace the person’s name. “My one and only.”

The woman let a few tears escape, but it only took her a few moments to sniffle, wipe her sorrow away, and stand. She was leaving just as quickly as she had appeared. Mikleo stared at the place where she had been standing, heart aching for the woman as well as himself.

Mikleo looked back at Gramps’ headstone and trailed his hand over the bold letters that carved out _Z E N R U S._ Gravesites for the seraphim were more of a display of remembrance than anything since they’re bodies didn’t decay in the way that human bodies did. Mikleo was appreciative for this tradition. He smiled, watery but warm, and swallowed back the rest of his tears.

“Thank you, Gramps.”

 

* * *

 

It was kind of funny, Sorey thought, the fact that Castiel had chosen to punch Sorey instead of setting him on fire as he could have. In retrospect, Sorey was grateful for Castiel’s choice of actions.

That didn’t mean it didn’t _hurt._

Sorey’s fingers gingerly pressed at his nose, concluding that it was not broken, just bleeding. Castiel stood in front of him, staring at him with wild green eyes, breathing heavy, and Sorey just stood there staring right back, warm blood trickling down his face. When he licked his dry lips, he tasted iron.

With a sheepish look, Sorey forced himself to speak even though it hurt. “Okay, I probably deserved that.”

The corner of Castiel’s mouth twitched upward. He didn’t respond as he slowly moved to the kitchen and grabbed a dishtowel before tossing it to Sorey. “No, you _definitely_ deserved that.”

Sorey nodded in thanks, pressing the towel to his nose carefully. He sighed, not meeting Castiel’s gaze. “Well, I’d rather it be me than Mikleo.” He stated, raising his eyes back to Castiel’s.

Castiel’s eyes narrowed. “If you think I’d ever hit Mikleo, you’re an idiot.”

“That’s not what I meant, Castiel.”

An awkward and deafening silence encompassed the two men. Sorey ran his free hand through his hair nervously. Castiel glared at the front door.

Sorey decided that he was going to have to take the lead in this situation. “Castiel,” The fire seraph’s eyes snapped to Sorey’s, fixing him with an angry glare. “I’m sorry that you had to find out like this, and you have every right to be angry.” He paused, forcing himself to hold Castiel’s blazing gaze. “But… please don’t hate Mikleo.”

Sorey’s words caused Castiel to deflate slightly, his anger simmering down to reveal the hurt beneath his facade. Sorey’s guilt ate at his insides. Castiel was such a _nice_ guy. “I could never hate him, Sorey.” Castiel finally said, voice quiet as he ran his hands through his hair, looking as if he were fighting off tears.

Sorey smiled softly, switching the hand that was holding the towel to his nose. Mikleo was probably going to pissed when he saw him. “That makes two of us.”

Castiel laughed hollowly, plopping himself down in one of the dining room chairs. “So what do we do now?” He asked, sniffling slightly. His eyes were rimmed red as he blinked back his emotions.

Sorey stood awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to go after Mikleo. He sighed softly and stared out the window at the afternoon sun. “I think… I think you and Mikleo really need to have a talk.” He murmured earnestly. “I promise I won’t interfere anymore – I’m just going to go take care of my nose at home. I’m sure Mikleo will come back soon.”

Castiel didn’t respond as Sorey moved toward the front door. He paused when his free hand grabbed the handle and turned back to look at Castiel, who was watching him closely, though clearly swept up in his thoughts. “And for what it’s worth, Castiel, I won’t ever apologize for how I feel about Mikleo, but I _am_ sorry that we didn’t go about this the right way and you got hurt while we tried to muddle through our feelings.” He paused, making sure Castiel was listening. “I promise… if you and Mikleo decide that you want to work through this… I will respect that decision.”

“We’ll see, Sorey.” Was all Castiel responded with.

It hurt Sorey’s heart to think that Castiel and Mikleo may work through this in a way where they would stay together, but Sorey knew that it wasn’t his place to decide what Mikleo did, and ultimately, he just wanted to see Mikleo happy. So Sorey returned to his home, heart heavy, nose aching, and eyes stinging. He grabbed some ice from his freezer, wrapped the towel around it, pressed it to his face, and crawled into bed. It was then, with the blanket curled around him, the soft glow of a nearby lamp, and the cold press of ice to his nose, that Sorey allowed himself to finally let his tears fall until sleep temporarily took his sadness away.

 

* * *

 

When Mikleo finally found the courage to go back to his house, it was already sunset. He swallowed down the panic that threatened to bubble over and entered his house quietly, secretly wishing no one was there.

His wish wasn’t granted. Castiel was seated at the dining room table with a cup of tea sitting before him, looking very distressed. When Mikleo entered, his gaze shot up from where it had been dazedly staring into the teacup to meet Mikleo’s anxious violet one.

Mikleo was frozen in the entryway, so Castiel decided to make the first move. “Hi.” He said, voice a little hoarse.

Mikleo swallowed dryly, still not moving. “…Hi.”

Castiel sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before motioning toward the kitchen. “Get some tea. We need to talk.”

Mikleo nodded mutely before cautiously making his way to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. It was chamomile – good for easing anxiety. Mikleo’s heart felt heavy; Castiel was still thoughtful even now.

The water seraph made his way to the table and sat across from Castiel, staring at his own cup of tea. His words were stuck in his throat. Castiel spoke first, again.

“Start from the beginning. Tell me when it started. Tell me everything.”

Mikleo’s gaze slowly rose to meet Castiel’s. They were both exhausted, but Mikleo knew that this was the very least he owed Castiel: an explanation.

So, he told Castiel everything. “Well,” He started, voice soft and shaky. “To start, I lied to you a long time ago. I never had a crush on Sorey – I’ve been in love with him since we were children.”

After that, it all came rushing out of Mikleo as if a dam broke. He told Castiel about how _happy_ he had been when Sorey had returned. He told him about the night he drank with Sorey and fell asleep in his lap while the lightning seraph played with his hair, and about how Sorey had been jealous of Castiel. He told him about their time in Ladylake, how he had essentially given Sorey permission to kiss him, and about how they made out in the streets where anyone could have seen them. He told him about how he had kissed Sorey during game night, about how he couldn’t get Sorey out of his head when Castiel was trying to be intimate, and about how he snuck off to be with Sorey under the guise of bringing him food just the night before.

And at the end of it, both men felt heartbroken.

Silence wrapped around the room awkwardly as Castiel refused to meet Mikleo’s gaze. With a heavy sigh, Mikleo continued. “And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to hurt you, which _clearly_ didn’t work out.” He stated quietly. “I didn’t intentionally take advantage of your kindness, and I want you to know that. I _do_ care about you, Castiel. I just… didn’t do this right, and we all suffered because I was too afraid to be honest about my feelings.”

Castiel _finally_ looked up, blinking back tears that made Mikleo’s heart twist in his chest with guilt. The fire seraph let out a long breath and took a sip of his tea. There was a moment of silence before he found his voice. “Well… thank you for telling me the truth.” He murmured softly, swallowing hard. “I’d be lying if I’m not really fucking upset and hurt, but… you can’t help who you have feelings for, right?” His smile was strained as he continued. “I can’t be angry about how you feel for Sorey, but I can be angry over how you dealt with the situation. And I appreciate that you acknowledge that you fucked up.” There was almost a hint of amusement in his voice that sparked hope in Mikleo’s heart.

Castiel reached over and took Mikleo’s hands in his, fingers uncharacteristically cold. “But… I meant it when I said I love you.” Castiel spoke softly, eyes cautious as he brought one of Mikleo’s hands up to place a gentle kiss to the back of it. Mikleo could remember many other instances when Castiel had kissed him like that – under the stars at Glaivend Basin when he had first asked Mikleo if they could go on a date, at the coffee shop in Ladylake on their way back to Elysia, after their one-year anniversary picnic, after the first time they had slept together. Emotion swelled in Mikleo’s chest, bittersweet.

Castiel took a deep breath before he continued. “If you’re willing to promise me that this won’t happen again and that we’ll be completely honest with each other… I’d like to give us another shot and move past this.”

Mikleo stared at Castiel with disbelieving eyes as his thoughts and heart competed for who could race the fastest. He looked away, all too aware of the feel of Castiel’s hands holding his and the heavy weight of his gaze watching him, waiting for a response.

Mikleo found the courage to look back at Castiel, violet irises holding onto green ones, searching them. He smiled softly and gave Castiel’s hand a gentle squeeze.

 

* * *

 

Mikleo wrapped his coat around himself, the night breeze ruffling his hair, which was hanging loose from its normal elastic tie. He was emotionally and mentally drained. His eyes were puffy, his cheeks were red, and his mouth was dry as he quietly made his way up to Sorey’s house. He stopped outside the front door, terror and sadness flooding through his veins. He almost turned around and made his way back to his own house, but he knew he couldn’t do that. He needed to talk to Sorey.

With a heavy sigh, he knocked on the door softly. There was no answer.

Brows furrowed, he quietly opened the door and let himself in. He slid his coat off his shoulders and hung it on the coatrack by the door before toeing off his shoes. Feet quietly padding against the wood floor, he made his way to the lit room in the back of the house.

Sorey was fast asleep. Mikleo stood at the entrance to his bedroom, observing the boy curled up in the bed. The lamp light cast soft shadows across Sorey’s tanned skin, momentarily distracting Mikleo from what appeared to be a cloth that Sorey had fallen asleep holding against his face. Mikleo carefully made his way over to the bed to take a closer look.

It didn’t take Mikleo long to notice the soft bruise forming around Sorey’s nose. He glared at the offending coloration, noting that he was going to have to reprimand Castiel for clearly punching Sorey later. Mikleo waved his hand easily, casting a quick arte to heal the injury before leaning forward to softly remove the cloth – which was wet, Mikleo noted absently, from melted ice – from Sorey’s sleeping grasp.

Sorey had always been somewhat of a heavy sleeper, so it didn’t surprise Mikleo that his presence hadn’t woken the other man. He gingerly let himself sit down on the edge of the bed after setting the damp cloth on the nightstand beside the bed, swinging his feet up so that he could lean his back against the wall. He stared at the former Shepherd, noting how Sorey’s brows were slightly furrowed, his sleeping expression conveying the anxiety that Sorey had been feeling before he fell asleep. Mikleo felt guilt swirl in his belly at knowing that he had caused Sorey this pain.

Sighing softly, Mikleo allowed his pale fingers to softly rake through Sorey’s locks. Sorey stirred in his sleep, but didn’t wake, much to Mikleo’s relief. He wasn’t sure if he was actually ready to have his conversation with Sorey, yet.

And then, he was crying again.

He thought that he didn’t have any tears left to cry, but he had been wrong. He made no noise as he let his tears fall, fingers shakily continuing their soothing treatment to Sorey’s hair. He cried for what felt like hours until he finally hit the point of being physically drained. His hand stilled in Sorey’s hair as the tendrils of a dreamless sleep wrapped around him, and his tears finally stopped.

 

* * *

 

When Sorey awoke the next morning, the first thing he noticed was that his nose mysteriously didn’t hurt anymore. The second thing he noticed was Mikleo’s smaller frame propped up against the wall, fast asleep. Seeing Mikleo brought all the feelings from yesterday racing back, making Sorey feel sick to his stomach.

He swallowed back his feelings and stretched, needing to rid his muscles of some of yesterday’s tension. Rubbing his eyes, he reached over to turn off the lamp that he had apparently left on all night, and then he gently shook Mikleo awake.

“Mikleo,” He murmured, voice shaking slightly. “Come on, wake up.”

Mikleo’s eyes slowly blinked open, still looking puffy from the day before. Sorey wondered how much Mikleo had cried and felt his heart clench in sadness. Soft violet eyes rimmed in red blinked their way over to land on Sorey.

The sight of Sorey seemed to awaken Mikleo to reality. He quickly averted his gaze before rubbing his face sleepily. Sorey had always loved watching Mikleo wake up – he was like a sleepy kitten who would wake up, blink a few times, maybe stretch, and then fall back asleep quickly and easily until he was disturbed again. It always made Sorey want to wrap his arms around the fair-skinned seraph and snuggle him closer, but today Sorey made sure to keep his distance as he wasn’t sure of the status of… _anything_.

Sorey was the first to break the morning’s silence. “So… I see you healed my nose. Thank you.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, which Sorey took as a good sign. “I’ll have to talk to Castiel about that.” He paused. “But of course, you’re welcome.”

The sound of Castiel’s name coming from Mikleo made Sorey’s heart sink. He looked away and licked at his dry lips as he wrapped his arms around himself. “Speaking of… What uh, happened?” There was no use putting off the inevitable.

Mikleo was quiet for a moment, fingers coming up to twist a couple strands of his pale hair around his fingers, drawing Sorey’s attention distractingly. The water seraph looked nervous, worrying his bottom lip and keeping his gaze far away from Sorey’s. Sorey’s heart pounded in his chest, desire to push himself closer to Mikleo flitting through his veins, but he refrained.

“We talked.” Mikleo started, still not looking at Sorey. Sorey could see the flush that was rising up Mikleo’s neck. He wanted to kiss it. He was waiting for Mikleo to continue, but it seemed as if he might not.

“Okay…” Sorey said carefully, running his fingers through his own hair stressfully. His anxiety was high, but he was happy to see that Mikleo didn’t look as if he were about to cry. Mikleo’s happiness is what mattered most to Sorey. “And…?”

Mikleo finally brought his gaze up to meet Sorey’s, fingers dropping from his hair. He exhaled a deep breath, cheeks still flushed. “I told him everything. All of the things we had done and how I felt about… both of you.”

Sorey felt his own cheeks flush with guilt that Mikleo had to go through that alone. He nodded mutely, willing Mikleo to go on. “He was… upset, but he heard me out and was as kind as ever. He’s such an idiot.” Mikleo continued, rolling his eyes. His tone was affectionate, and it pulled at Sorey’s heartstrings because that affection wasn’t aimed toward him.

Sorey swallowed dryly, green eyes wide and glued to Mikleo’s. “That’s… good?” He tried, not completely sure how to respond. His stomach twisted with anxiety.

Mikleo gave Sorey a small smile before finally, _finally_ , reaching over and taking Sorey’s hand in his. He squeezed it gently, expression a little sad. Sorey’s heart sung from Mikleo’s touch even though the expression he wore made Sorey worry.

“He asked me if we could… try again.”

Sorey felt his world come to a screeching halt. He shouldn’t be surprised – he _knew_ Castiel loved Mikleo. However, a part of him thought Castiel would have let him go after this. Apparently, he had been wrong. Sorey felt sad jealousy jumping up his throat and had to will his voice to not shake when he spoke. “Ah. I’m… happy for you.”

Sorey knew his tone didn’t match his words, but he couldn’t help it. Mikleo’s brows furrowed together slightly, head tilting to the side as he searched Sorey’s face. He brought Sorey’s hand closer and wrapped his free hand around it, holding it between both of his own tenderly. His fingers stroked over Sorey’s tanned knuckles as he stared down at their hands. His heart pounded in his own ears nervously.

“Sorey, I told him no.”

Sorey’s world came to a halt _again_. He blinked a few times as a frenzy of emotions swam through him: confusion, astonishment, glee. He sat up a little straighter and licked his lips, trying to hold down his feelings. “Wait, what?”

Mikleo bit his lip, cheeks tinged pink when he looked back up at Sorey. He rolled his eyes, a small smile playing with his lips. “I told him no, Sorey.” He repeated, squeezing Sorey’s hand as he did so. “I… I don’t love him. That’s not fair to him. He took it rather well, actually. I don’t think he was surprised, and he’s… going to move back to his hometown.” He paused, swallowing hard. “And… I uh, you know. I care about you.” He mumbled, clearly embarrassed and still drained from the previous day.

“I just… I want to try to do this right.” Mikleo continued, words coming out a little more rushed with nerves. His eyes jumped across Sorey’s face and around the room, searching anxiously for something to settle on. “I know you got hurt, too, and I’m so sorry that I got you into this. But if you’d be willing…” He paused, eyes finally coming back to rest on Sorey’s. “Would you uh, go on a date with me? Like a _real_ date? To try and do this properly?”

Sorey’s heart fluttered with affection. He packaged this memory and filed it away for later, adoring Mikleo’s blush and anxious brush of fingers over his. His own cheeks warmed at Mikleo’s words, a sudden relief flooding over him as reality finally hit him.

He swallowed hard, eyes bright as he fought back happy tears. He squeezed one of Mikleo’s hands and leaned forward slightly as a vibrant smile began to stretch across his face. “Hm… _Only_ if there are flowers included.”

Mikleo stared at Sorey for a moment before busting into a fit of soft laughter, the tension in the room dissipating as a warm happiness embraced the two men. Mikleo was smiling when he finally brought his gaze back to Sorey’s. “Silly romantic.” He murmured, violet irises shining.

Sorey smiled warmly. “Only for you.”

 

* * *

 

Mikleo brought the flowers. Sorey wore his glasses.

Six o’clock the next day saw Mikleo knocking on Sorey’s door, and when Sorey appeared, Mikleo just _stared_. Sorey had the gall to smirk smugly, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest in a way that made his shirt stretch deliciously over his shoulders. He peered at Mikleo from behind the wire frames, eyebrows arched, and a wild fire already stirring in the pit of his stomach.

“Ah, flowers! You shouldn’t have, Mikleo! How sweet.” Sorey teased, biting his bottom lip as Mikleo flushed.

The water seraph glared and swallowed dryly, tension already crackling between them. “I kind of hate you.” He mumbled. Sorey laughed, eyes crinkling with mirth. He took the flowers from Mikleo and refrained from leaning forward and capturing the other man’s lips with his own. Doing this _right_ meant kissing could come _after_ the date.

Mikleo’s eyes danced between Sorey’s vibrant green irises and his pink lips, indicating to Sorey that Mikleo was thinking the same thing. Their fingers brushed as Mikleo released the flowers, and Sorey felt his heart race. “Let me put these in some water.” He murmured softly, feeling, not for the first time, like a teenager handling a crush.

Mikleo nodded, stepping into Sorey’s home after the brunette. Sorey dug around until he found a container suitable to hold the flowers – Sorey didn’t own a _vase_ , he hardly remembered to eat dinner most nights – and Mikleo quickly used his artes to fill it with water. Sorey set the vase on his dining room table, flowers bright and vibrant against the wood background. He smiled fondly as he turned back to Mikleo, who was standing close.

The two stared at one another, tension bubbling between them as they both refrained from closing the gap separating them. Sorey reached out and took Mikleo’s hand in his, squeezing affectionately. “Thank you, Mikleo.”

Mikleo flushed, affection and desire lighting through his veins. He squeezed Sorey’s hand back. “Yeah, whatever.” He mumbled but couldn’t help the smile that danced on his lips. “Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

It was a very rough date.

The date itself was fine. The two spent a couple hours walking around the ruins right outside of Elysia, full of affectionate glances and soft brushes of fingers against each other’s while they walked. Then, they had a small picnic dinner on the hill overlooking Elysia, bodies close, cheeks flushed, and voices hushed. All in all, it had been a _perfect_ evening.

But the sexual tension was palpable. It crackled around them like electricity, getting worse with every brush of skin. It was ironic, Sorey thought, that they were now really, truly _free_ to touch each other, but they were trying so hard not to.

They gave up on the way home from dinner, finally deciding that they were better off holding hands at the very least. As they approached Sorey’s house, they stopped, turning to face each other, hands falling apart. It was quiet, nothing but the stars and the crescent moon watching above them, and Sorey felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest.

Sorey stared at Mikleo, taking in the sight of the water seraph in the moonlight. It was a sight that he had seen hundreds of times when they were younger, but it was somehow different now. A soft breeze rustled Mikleo’s fair curls as an expectant tension settled in between the two. The brunette swallowed thickly, fingers itching at his sides as he stood in front of his door.

 _This is ridiculous,_ Sorey thought to himself as he swallowed down his butterflies. W _e’ve literally kissed multiple times before; why do I feel like this?_

“I had a really great time tonight, Mikleo.” Sorey’s words were quiet, as if he were afraid of waking any of the other resting seraphim in Elysia. Mikleo smiled, cheeks flushing pink as he tucked his bottom lip between his teeth nervously.

“I did, too.” Mikleo took a couple steps closer, one hand reaching up to play with one of the buttons on Sorey’s shirt. He looked up at Sorey from behind long lashes, face close.

Sorey brought his hand up to slide against Mikleo’s neck, tan fingers a stark contrast to Mikleo’s fair skin that Sorey secretly adored. He looked at the water seraph through half-lidded eyes, tongue coming out to lick dry lips. An amused smile began to stretch across Mikleo’s lips, stealing Sorey’s attention from his glittering eyes.

Mikleo leaned in slowly and placed a soft kiss to the corner of Sorey’s mouth. Sorey turned his head slightly, trying to follow Mikleo’s lips, but the water seraph was pulling away before he had a chance to capture them.

There was a teasing smile on Mikleo’s face that made Sorey’s heart leap into his throat. “Well, I guess I should be getting home then.” Mikleo murmured softly, letting his hand fall from Sorey’s shirt. He watched as Sorey’s expression turned from one of affection into confusion and then into disbelief.

“Wait, what?”

Mikleo’s head fell back as he let out laugh that Sorey could listen to on repeat for the rest of his life. When he looked back at Sorey, his eyes were smiling. “Oh, sorry, did you want me to come in?”

Sorey could feel the hot flush rising up his neck at Mikleo’s flirting. He glared playfully, crossing his arms across his chest. “You know what, maybe I don’t.” He huffed indignantly.

Mikleo raised a brow, running his fingers through his bangs and giving a half-hearted shrug, though the smile on his lips was still amused. “Okay then. Goodnight, _Sorey._ ”

The way Mikleo said his name made Sorey want to hear it over and over again. He let out a soft groan and reached out to wrap his fingers around Mikleo’s wrist. “Don’t you dare leave.” He murmured, stepping closer to Mikleo so that they were only inches apart.

Mikleo’s breath stuttered, hot against Sorey’s skin. “Then invite me in, Sorey.”

The implication of Mikleo’s words hung heavy between them. Sorey felt as if there was liquid fire running through his veins and the only thing that could put that fire out was _Mikleo._ He smiled, reaching up to adjust his glasses on his nose slightly, reveling in the way Mikleo’s breath hitched and his eyes widened just a hair. Sorey loved the way something as simple as a pair of glasses could rile the other boy. “Would you like to come in, Mikleo?”

Mikleo swallowed hard, pressing forward so that his nose bumped against Sorey’s. He reached up and slid his fingers into Sorey’s hair, nails scraping scalp gently. Sorey made a soft sound, and Mikleo felt his control slipping. “Oh, _yes_ _please_.”

Sorey’s lips were on Mikleo’s in a second, arms wrapping around the man’s slender waist so that his fingers could dig into the fabric of his shirt. Mikleo’s hands were in Sorey’s hair, tugging slightly, pushing himself against Sorey to deepen the kiss after only a moment. Sorey moaned softly as Mikleo pressed into him, forcing the taller boy backward until his back was pressed against the cold stone of his house.

Mikleo’s hands were suddenly everywhere, and Sorey felt as if electricity was zipping beneath his skin. All of the touches and kisses that they held back earlier broke through, desire coursing through both seraphim.

Mikleo nipped the underside of Sorey’s jaw, and Sorey whined loudly. He was suddenly _very_ aware that they were outside and he slid his hands down to Mikleo’s hips, pressing his fingers into them and trying to catch his breath. “Mikleo, inside.”

Mikleo continued to press hot kisses to Sorey’s neck, his fingers sliding underneath Sorey’s shirt where the buttons had popped apart. He grinned against Sorey’s skin. “Then open the door, Sorey _._ ”

Sorey groaned at the sound of his name again, both inwardly cursing and worshipping Mikleo’s tormenting touches. He forced himself to reach over, hand patting towards the door until he reached the handle to push it open. He had never been so grateful that he had the habit of not locking his door.

He wrapped his arms back around Mikleo and used his strength and height to flip them over so that Mikleo was pressed against the wall right beside the door. Mikleo smiled softly at Sorey as he finally pulled himself away, fingers gripping onto the front of Sorey’s shirt.

Sorey had to stop himself from giggling with pure joy at the sight of Mikleo before him. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed Mikleo slowly. Before it could continue and get out of control, he pulled away and took Mikleo by the hand, bringing it up to place a soft kiss to his palm before leading the water seraph into his home, making sure to close _and_ lock the door behind them.

In seconds, the two were upon each other again, hands and lips exploring and pressing into flesh, soft sounds filling their ears. It took Mikleo little time to finish unbuttoning Sorey’s shirt so that he could push the offensive material from his shoulders, and Sorey followed suit, pulling Mikleo’s shirt over his head. They fumbled their way through the dark, too lazy and enraptured by each other to turn on a lamp, until they were in Sorey’s room.

Sorey wanted nothing more than to pull Mikleo down onto the bed and continue kissing him, but Mikleo paused. Sorey felt a brief shot of panic course through his system, thinking that Mikleo may be changing his mind, but the water seraph smiled gently, stepping close to him and sliding his hands up to hold Sorey’s face in his palms.

“I _love_ these,” Mikleo murmured, running his fingers up the side of Sorey’s face to gently touch the glasses resting there. “But they need to go.”

Sorey blushed. He had completely forgotten about the glasses. He smiled brightly, quickly removing the glasses and setting them on his nightstand. Mikleo bit his lip, eyes dark, and then leaned in to kiss Sorey again. He took little time in pushing Sorey down onto the bed so that he could climb onto his lap and straddle him. Sorey’s hands came to Mikleo’s waist as the water seraph pulled him into a kiss that was all tongues and teeth and heat before he trailed hot kisses down the brunette’s neck.

Sorey moaned softly as Mikleo sucked at the sensitive skin of his neck. Mikleo’s hips ground down into Sorey’s, causing the brunette to arch upward, fingers falling lower and digging into the skin of Mikleo’s thighs. His hands slid up, catching on Mikleo’s hair momentarily before cupping the pale man’s cheeks, forcing him to stop his torment to Sorey’s skin and look up into dark green eyes. Sorey pulled Mikleo to him, kissing him slowly before pulling away, hot breath panting against Mikleo’s lips.

Emerald irises captured violet ones in an intense stare. “I have never loved anyone as much as I love you.” Sorey whispered, thumbs massaging the edge of Mikleo’s jawline.

Mikleo’s flush deepened even though he thought that impossible. He leaned forward and nipped at Sorey’s bottom lip, pulling it between his teeth gently and sucking, earning himself a whine from the brunette. Mikleo grinned as he pulled away. “Ever the romantic, Sorey.” He teased, fingers dancing across the bare skin of Sorey’s tanned chest. “I love you, too.” He bumped his nose against Sorey’s before leaning in to kiss him softly.

It felt good to finally, _finally_ , express their feelings to one another without guilt overshadowing the emotions. Sorey smiled bright against Mikleo’s lips, causing the water seraph to laugh into the kiss, pulling away with a soft smile. Sorey peppered Mikleo’s face with kisses, earning himself another affectionate laugh before he kissed his way down Mikleo’s neck and ran his hands slide back down his back, cupping his bottom and pulling him closer so that their hips slid together again.

Mikleo’s light laughter dissolved into soft, pleased sounds. Sorey’s lips explored the fair skin of Mikleo’s neck languidly as his fingers pressed into Mikleo’s hips. Mikleo’s fingers ran down Sorey’s chest, teasing the sensitive bud of a nipple and causing Sorey to arch into him, soft whine against Mikleo’s neck.

Mikleo bit his lip as he tried to keep control of the burning desire beneath his skin, but he _wanted_ and he could finally _have_ , so he found himself pulling Sorey’s face from his neck with gentle hands so that he could look into those pretty green eyes that he adored so much. He licked his lips, distracting Sorey’s gaze for only a moment. “Let me take care of you?”

Sorey’s eyes searched Mikleo’s, cheeks flushed. He swallowed thickly, fingers drawing gentle circles where they still rested at Mikleo’s hips. He gave a small nod but chewed on his lip nervously. “Shouldn’t we take care of each other?”

The affection that squeezed Mikleo’s heart almost brought tears to his eyes. He swallowed it down, thumbs running over Sorey’s cheekbones gently. “Well, yes.” He smiled softly, bringing his forehead to Sorey’s and closing his eyes. “But I want…” He paused, kissing Sorey’s nose swiftly as he pulled away slightly and reopened his eyes. “I want to make up for the last couple times of leaving you hanging.”

His words were soft and sheepish, filled with the smallest hint of regret. Sorey swallowed hard, running his fingers up Mikleo’s sides to wrap his arms around the smaller boy. “Mm… well I suppose we can see if you can earn my forgiveness.”

His words were light, almost a challenge, and Mikleo felt arousal shoot straight through his body at the words. He pulled away so that he could fully look into Sorey’s eyes and raised a brow. Sorey met his stare with a teasing smile. “You might regret saying that.” Mikleo breathed out.

Sorey couldn’t help the way his smile stretched. “I guess I’ll find out.”

Mikleo grinned before leaning in to capture Sorey in a quick kiss. He pressed his hips against Sorey’s, the feeling of their erections pressing together through their clothes making both men moan. Their clothing was suddenly too suffocating, and Mikleo’s hands were pulling at Sorey’s waistband frantically, fingers teasing the sensitive flesh beneath, making Sorey whine with frustration.

“Clothes.” Sorey panted out, and Mikleo didn’t have to be told twice. He pulled away just long enough to slip out of his own pants and underwear, and when he looked back, Sorey was completely naked and staring at Mikleo with a look of hunger and affection that made Mikleo’s blood boil.

Swallowing his sudden butterflies, Mikleo pressed closer to Sorey, hands wrapping around the other man’s neck as Sorey’s arms came back to rest at Mikleo’s waist. Slowly, Mikleo let their bodies press back together, the feel of full skin on skin electrifying.

Sorey moaned, hips bucking upward as his erection slid against Mikleo’s. This was very new to Sorey, but very, _very_ good. The two rutted against one another for a few moments, the sound of skin on skin and hot breaths filling the air, making the moment even more intimate.

And then, Mikleo was pulling away.

Sorey’s body instinctively chased after him, but Mikleo only smiled teasingly, pressing his fingers to the lightning seraph’s shoulders to keep him in place as he sat back on his knees. Mikleo’s hands then trailed down his own chest until they were teasing the hot flesh of his erection, and Sorey’s breath stalled in his chest.

Mikleo lazily stroked himself, violet eyes hazy and half-lidded as he gazed at Sorey from a few feet away. Sorey whimpered and crawled closer to the other man, fingers itching to press into his flushed fair skin. He reached out to touch Mikleo, but the water seraph grabbed his hand and stopped him.

Mikleo caught his gaze, teasing smirk on his lips as he increased his speed. He pressed Sorey’s hand back into the fabric of the bed and leaned forward slightly so that his breath tickled the skin of Sorey’s face. “No touching.” He breathed, eyes twinkling with mischief. Sorey groaned loudly, his own erection aching. He moved to provide himself some relief instead, but Mikleo caught his hand that time is as well.

“No - not yourself yet, either.” He murmured, soft moan following the command. Sorey let out a frustrated whine as Mikleo slid his hand up to rest at the back of Sorey’s neck, bringing the brunette closer.

Sorey found himself forgetting to breathe, fingers clawing at the sheets beneath him as he stared at Mikleo. The water seraph took a fist of Sorey’s hair, pulling him even closer so his forehead was pressed against his. Mikleo panted hotly, eyes fluttering shut as he teased the head of his own cock gently, and Sorey thought he might combust into flames right there.

“Oh _God._ ” Sorey mumbled, hungry eyes all over Mikleo. This was absolute torture, but he _loved_ it. He swallowed back another whine. “You’re so beautiful.”

Mikleo moaned softly at Sorey’s words, his hand jerking a bit erratically. He sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth to try and contain his sounds. “ _Sorey,_ ” He panted. “Keep talking.”

Sorey’s pupils were blown wide, his breath catching in his throat as electricity ran through his veins. The heat between them was boiling hot, and Sorey found his thoughts clouded as he forced himself to keep his hands on the bed. He licked his lips, swallowing hard. “So beautiful,” He repeated. “I wish I could touch you.”

Mikleo whined softly, head lulling to the side slightly as he continued stroking himself, and Sorey absolute adored the way he was losing control. He leaned forward so that his lips were closer to Mikleo’s ear, but carefully didn’t touch. “Are you close, _Mikleo?_ ”

The hand in Sorey’s hair tightened again as Mikleo’s hips bucked slightly. He gave a small nod, but his words were lost in a moan. He could feel Sorey’s breath on his skin, and he suddenly regretted keeping the other man from touching him.

Sorey groaned softly, the sound tickling Mikleo’s ear and making his breath stutter. “Good.” Sorey murmured. “I want to see you fall apart.” He paused, nipping at Mikleo’s ear teasingly, and Mikleo let out a wanton cry. “Will you do that for me?”

Mikleo shuttered, suddenly burying his face against Sorey’s neck. His movements and breath uneven. “Yes,” He breathed out, voice raspy. “Yes, Sorey, I –“

He came then, words cut off by a sharp moan. His worked his way through his orgasm, ejaculate splattering across Sorey’s abdomen. Sorey felt his erection twitch as he watched with wide eyes, almost losing it at the sight of Mikleo before him.

Mikleo panted against Sorey, skin hot and clammy. Sorey finally brought his hands up and slid them across Mikleo’s back to play with the ends of his hair. He groaned softly as Mikleo kissed his neck languidly.

“That was definitely the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Sorey murmured cheekily. Mikleo pulled away so he could look into Sorey’s eyes, and Sorey found his breath catching in his throat. Mikleo’s eyes were dark, cheeks flushed, and breathing heavy. His hair stuck to the sides of his face in some places, and he looked ravished even though Sorey had barely touched him.

Mikleo worried his bottom lip, body still reeling from his release. A quiet moment passed between the two, and then he was leaning forward to pull Sorey into a slow, burning kiss. When he pulled away, Sorey was breathless.

“God, I love you.” Mikleo said softly, making Sorey’s heart flutter through his arousal. Mikleo’s hands slid down Sorey’s chest, slight embarrassment swelling at the sight of his semen on Sorey’s skin. He ran his fingers down to rest on Sorey’s thighs before looking back up at Sorey through long lashes. “Let me.”

Sorey wasn’t quite sure what Mikleo was referring to, but he felt his heart leap into his throat as Mikleo pushed him backward so that he was propped up against the wall. Then, Mikleo was kissing his way down his chest, stopping to tease his nipples with a hot tongue before continuing downward.

Sorey figured out Mikleo’s intentions very quickly as the water seraph swiped his tongue through the mess he had made. Sorey moaned loudly, one of his hands coming up to tangle in his own hair as if to anchor him as Mikleo continued downward until his lips were teasing the soft skin of Sorey’s thighs.

Mikleo paused and looked up to meet Sorey’s wide eyes, a lazy smile on his lips. Sorey’s mind was running wild, heart pounding in his ears. When Mikleo finally wrapped his pretty lips around the head of Sorey’s erection, Sorey’s hips bucked forward involuntarily. Mikleo popped off quickly, chuckling quietly in a way that made Sorey’s insides twist deliciously, and press his hands to Sorey’s hips to keep him down.

“Steady, baby.” Mikleo murmured. Sorey’s eyes rolled into the back of his head when Mikleo lowered back down to take him in his mouth again. His free hand twitched, not sure what to do with itself. Mikleo solved that problem for him by reaching up to grab it and placing it on the back of his head.

Sorey moaned as he buried his fingers into Mikleo’s hair, completely enraptured by the heat of Mikleo’s mouth, which, he vaguely noted, was _by far_ much better than his own hand. It was clear that Mikleo knew what he was doing, and for the first time, that thought didn’t bother Sorey because Mikleo was finally _his_.

Mikleo hummed against his cock, the vibrations tickling Sorey’s insides and making him buck his hips again involuntarily. He wasn’t going to last very long given that he was severely inexperienced with this sort of thing and _very_ frustrated, and he felt his stomach coiling with anticipation.

“Ah – “ He moaned, louder than he meant, but he couldn’t help it. “So good, Mikleo.” His words were only barely coherent, but they made Mikleo moan softly around his erection again, and Sorey was suddenly _very_ close. “Close, close, so close.” He mumbled, hips lifting and hand falling from Mikleo’s hair to grip at the bed beneath him. He felt feverish with the need for release, breathing erratic and sweat glistening against his forehead.

Mikleo swirled his tongue around Sorey’s head before sucking with a little more pressure than he had previously, and Sorey finally felt himself falling. The hand that had been tangled in his own hair flew down to his mouth, teeth biting down on his hand to keep himself from shouting, but it wasn’t enough to muffle his sounds completely. Mikleo worked him through his orgasm, surprising Sorey when he _swallowed,_ which shot an aftershock of arousal through Sorey that left him whimpering.

Mikleo kissed his way back up Sorey’s exhausted body until he collapsed with half of his weight on top of Sorey. It took a few moments for Sorey’s breathing to calm, and he wrapped tingling arms around Mikleo, pulling him close so he could nuzzle his face into his neck and pepper him with lazy, satisfied kisses.

“You’ve earned my forgiveness.” Sorey teased, voice raspier than normal. Mikleo rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Sorey in return, kissing his chin softly.

“Mm, good.” He was sleepy and content, very satisfied with the night’s events. “It’s bed time.” He murmured.

Sorey chuckled and kissed Mikleo’s cheek. “Good night, Mikleo.” Another kiss. “I love you.”

Mikleo blushed, not completely sure he would ever get used to hearing those words. “I love you too, doofus.”

The two fell asleep wrapped up in each other’s arms, finally feeling at home after all this time.

 

* * *

 

Mikleo awoke to an empty bed, which alarmed him at first until he heard the faint clinking of metal from the kitchen. He stretched lazily, body lethargic and relaxed. He could have fallen back asleep, but his desire to see Sorey overtook his sleepiness.

He slowly slid himself from beneath Sorey’s covers. Cold air hit his bare skin, reminding him that he was very much still naked – and that realization caused a hot flush to rise up his neck. He quickly rummaged around the room, finding one of Sorey’s old blue button-downs and a pair of cotton sleeping pants that he slipped into, feeling comforted and cozy in the too-big clothes.

Bare feet padded quietly against the wood flooring as Mikleo made his way to the kitchen, only to be met with the sight of complete and utter chaos. Sorey was half-naked, clad only in a pair of sleeping pants identical to the ones Mikleo had borrowed, and there were kitchen utensils and various food items strewn across the kitchen counters, looking very much like a tornado had come through and thrown random items everywhere.

“What in heaven has happened in here?”

Sorey started, not expecting the sudden interruption. He turned around quickly, blush on his cheeks as he abandoned whatever he had been messing with. He quickly took in the sight of a sleepy Mikleo, messy curls haloing his pale face, adorning Sorey’s blue button down and cotton sleeping pants. Sorey’s clothes were a touch too large for Mikleo, and it made Sorey’s heartbeat quicken.

“Well…” Sorey began, running his fingers through his messy brunette locks sheepishly. “I _was_ going to try and wake you up with breakfast, but uh, here we are.”

An affectionate smile stretched across Mikleo’s lips as his heart fluttered with adoration. He chuckled softly, eyes rolling teasingly as he made his way across the room and pressed his lips to Sorey’s, soft and chaste, a sweet blush adorning Sorey’s cheeks when he pulled away. “Get out of the kitchen, Sorey.” He murmured, amused lilt in his voice making the butterflies in Sorey’s stomach flutter. “Breakfast will be ready in twenty.”

Sorey grinned and wrapped his arms around Mikleo’s slender waist, nuzzling his face into the crook of his neck softly and secretly reveling in the fact that Mikleo was wearing _his_ clothes. He squeezed the smaller man, rocking a little side to side and making Mikleo’s blush deepen. “I love you, Mikleo.”

Mikleo smiled and turned his head slightly so that he could kiss Sorey on the cheek, one hand coming up to flit through Sorey’s hair gently. “You’re only saying that because I feed you.” He teased.

Sorey chuckled and kissed the soft skin of Mikleo’s neck. “Mm… Darn, looks like you’ve found out my secret.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes and pushed Sorey away gently, smiling. “Get out of my kitchen, you idiot.”

Sorey’s heart fluttered. His eyebrows shot up questioningly. “ _Your_ kitchen?”

Mikleo blushed, realizing his mistake and swallowing the butterflies trying to escape his stomach. “Uh,” He stumbled, nerves zinging. “If… that’s okay?” His voice was soft and cautious. Sorey had never felt so in love in his entire life.

“Only if I get to kiss you whenever I want in return.” Sorey grinned, eyes bright.

Mikleo laughed softly, fingers playing with the hem of Sorey’s shirt that he was wearing. “I guess that can be arranged.” He paused, smile soft and teasing. “You silly romantic.”

Sorey kissed him, warm and full of love. “Only for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT HAS BEEN DONE!
> 
> Ya'll. What a ride. I'm *really* happy with how this came out, and I appreciate all of you for sticking around to see how the guys' stories played out. Just as a fun fyi - the outline for this was originally only 2 chapters long, and here we are. However, I'm happy I ended up extending it so that I could get the full complexity of the situation out.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! Until next time, rest easy, friends.


End file.
